"Fighting like cats and dogs"—Have you heard someone say that about a married couple? Well, men and women are as different as cats and dogs.

Is it because they don't understand each other? He hears growling when she is purring? She hears purring when he is growling? They each "hear" the other, but don't truly understand the meaning behind their words or why they are saying it. You try to respond but wind up asking yourself: "What got into him?" or "Why is she upset?"

Each interprets the other's statement by their own understanding. They try and put themselves in the other's shoes but that doesn't work for cats and dogs because they each respond differently in different situations. A cat may run when a dog may charge. A cat may chase when a dog is indifferent. What a dog finds interesting may be boring to a cat. One is not better than the other, they are merely different. If you don't understand what the differences are between men and women then your marriage may not be as close and loving as it could be.

There's another saying you may have heard: "Men think, women Feel". Women of course do "think", and men of course do "feel", but women are many times emotion driven, while men tend to be analytical. Those are two very different ways of thinking resulting in different ways of expressing one's self. It also results in each having different emotional needs.

The May 15th 2013 Watchtower has a study article on marriage and good communication (studied the week of July 15th). For a more in-depth look at a couple's relationship and communication there is a book (with a name referring to two planets in our solar system) that covers this VERY well. It does not go against bible principals, and explains many things about the mind of the opposite sex.

Genesis 2:18 says: "And Jehovah God went on to say: “It is not good for the man to continue by himself. I am going to make a helper for him, as a complement of him."" The original Hebrew word for helper is azar and refers to giving needed help, relief, or aid. The word "complement" means that which makes something complete. Man was in need and Woman was the perfect remedy.

Is your relationship with your spouse good? The information in the book mentioned above may help you make it better and give you the understanding to keep it that way. That Watchtower article gives great advice on what to do, but similar to the saying about giving a man a fish versus teaching him how to fish, knowing what to do in a relationship is good but knowing why to do it is even better. Don't wait for the fall. Learn how to avoid the obstacles and you won't have to make amends. On the contrary, with understanding, what would have been an obstacle will be a bonding experience where your love for each other grows even more.

Feel free to ask me about it.

Dave

da.getmyip@gmail