4 Quotes by Ellen McCarthy

If we want to be excused for our imperfections and personal failings, then we’d better be ready to offer the same grace to our partners.

Paying attention takes time and focus – two things we’re short on these days. Sitting next to each other while surfing the Web on separate laptops doesn’t cut it. Neither does dinner if your eyes are on your cellphone as much as they’re on your partner. A neglected spouse might not clamor for your attention as aggressively as a pet, but they need the dose of love just as much.

We ask a lot more of relationships than we’re willing to put into them.

When one reader asked when to voice complaints and when to keep the peace, Meinecke responded, “The key is to understand that partners are not renovation projects.