By Jacques Gauthier and Luc Adrian, Aleteia, Oct 30, 2019
How can a couple stay faithful through this challenging phase of life together?
Middle age is a period of transition, the end of a second adolescence, a crisis of desire when one becomes aware of the finiteness of life. It can play out differently between spouses but, whether it be the man or the woman, the symptoms are unmistakeable: a feeling of loneliness, disillusionment about your limitations and those of your spouse, doubts, lack of self-confidence, depression, lack of pleasure doing the things you’ve always done, indifference to life, ambivalence, difficulty knowing what you want, boredom, an awareness of death, and a great need for introspection. The spouse who experiences a midlife crisis feels misunderstood by their partner as they struggle to understand themselves. So how do a husband and wife maintain fidelity when they are in the throes of this bumpy patch? Here are 10 tips.
1. Though it be a “descent into darkness,” accept this crisis as a period of growth.
2. Have confidence in life, which transforms us and leads us to full maturity.
3. This crisis is a call to offer one’s partner quality time, to respect their silences and their words. In this way, we give proof of true faithfulness to the other. ….
