The seasons of marriage: What season are you in? - Gary Chapman

Extract

Foreword by Gary Chapman:

A recent trip to France and Belgium allowed me to meet a large number of people who told me how much Love Languages had enriched their relationship. Currently, this book is available in 35 languages, all over the world, and it is considered a bestseller in many countries.

This success demonstrates that the need for love is universal, regardless of the culture to which one belongs. Learning to speak your spouse's love language cannot fail to contribute positively to the emotional climate of your couple. In my most recent book, The Seasons of Marriage, I use the image of the seasons to describe the quality of marital relationships.

In this book, you will discover the emotions, attitudes and actions that characterize each season of married life. I am convinced that marriage can be compared to the eternally changing cycle of the seasons. We live many springs, summers, autumns and winters. However, as spouses, unlike the natural world, we influence the seasons we experience in how we behave towards each other.

In this book, I propose seven strategies to enhance the seasons of your couple. I think you will agree with me that these strategies work in all cultures. They concern the fundamental issues in the construction of a good marital intimacy. If you find these ideas helpful, I hope you'll share them with those of your friends who are also going through the four seasons of marriage.

Publisher Overview

Here is a small seasonal barometer to allow you to see more clearly!

- Spring is the time of renewal, new habits, new ways of listening, of loving. If your wedding is spring, you will discover how to detect in time the irritations that arrive without warning.

- Summer gives you a soft warmth imbued with harmony. Satisfaction and trust are at the heart of your marital relationship. You will learn in this book to recognize the buried conflicts that can surface and threaten the joy and stability of summer.

- Autumn is a time of transformation. If you are experiencing unwanted changes and the installation of boredom in your relationship, this book will show you how to prevent the cold of winter from creeping inexorably.

- Winter is a time of icy silence or biting wind. A winter relationship longs to find the mild warmth of spring. Discover the hope of seeing ice and snow melt.

Through the stories of many couples, Gary Chapman will help you determine which season your union is in. You will also find a test for this purpose. Faithful to what has made his success for years, the author then proposes concrete solutions and avenues for reflection to lead you to a fulfilling and lasting relationship.

Author Biography

Gary Chapman is one of the pioneers in marriage counseling. Gifted and highly appreciated, he conducts many seminars for couples all over the world. The series of his books on Langages de l'amour (intended for couples and parents of children and adolescents) has met with wide success with the French-speaking public.