When we think of an anniversary flower, the first thing that comes to mind is the rose. Unless the one you love has a preference for their own special flower, the rose is traditionally the sign of love.

The rapture phase of love gives each partner a feeling that is buoyant, lively, and fulfilling. You project onto your partner images of beauty, goodness, and love as if your partner were a canvas waiting to be painted on. The energy of this consciousness shines a bright light across the world, obliterating all the differences in your characters, lifting you and your partner to a higher state of being. You are atop the summit, and you sparkle to one another like diamonds with many facets of light.

It seems that in our society it has come to be expected that women will get together and criticize their husbands and boyfriends and men will get together and put down their wives and girlfriends. Everyone has to have a few sarcastic comments to fling at their partner, especially when there is an audience around to laugh at their expense. We tend to tear down the very person we claim to love. I think it has become so common in our society that sometimes people don’t even realize they are doing it.

Children need a mother but a man needs a woman. Here lies the biggest conflict a woman faces, even more so than the conflict between being a mother and a professional. Of course, there are many women who can conciliate both roles with ease. Unfortunately, many cannot.

Most people are searching for only four or five things in life. I believe the major ones are: love, acceptance, appreciation, validation and to connect with other humans in a meaningful way. What are you searching for that you don’t have in your life? Let’s take a brief look at each of these:

Definite and usage of main principles and notions is of the most important requirements set for sociological researches. The categories of family and marriage are the most complicated and hardest to define. First of all, traditions of usual conscience and word usage that are not always correspond to those of scientific and theoretical nature; have impact on their understanding and definition. Secondly, both marriage and family are studied not only by sociology but by a range of other sciences which creates many different approaches to them and accordingly more or less specific and abstract definition of these notions.

What makes for a happy relationship? What makes one couple have a successful relationship while another couple flounders? Is it just luck? Why do some men get the Woman Of Their Dreams while others get stuck with controlling women? Or, frigid women? Or, manipulative women?

Cain killed Abel because he was jealous of him. Da Vinci Code says St. Peter was jealous of Jesus’ affection towards Mary Magdalene. Jealousy has been a part of human existence since the time our forefathers walked this earth, and even today it is one of the most common emotions that affect people across the world. We could go as far as saying that it’s the most human of all emotions, and it’s natural to feel jealous from time to time.

Un-communicated feelings mean squat! People don't know how you feel until you tell them how you feel. Over twenty years ago my best friend died of cancer. Randy was 41. He was successful, competent, always positive and loved and lived life to the fullest then he was gone.

The wandering man is a real problem for many women. A man can feel challenged by other women, afraid of how close your relationship is turning, and a man can also feel unneeded or unwanted at home.

In this final section of a five-part series on making marriage work, Joan discovers that taking loving action on her own behalf, instead of waiting for Justin to make her happy,creates the closeness and intimacy with Justin that she desires.

I have recently encountered the words 'Cougar Women' - a term dreamt up by some male or possibly jealous young female to describe an older woman engaged in a relationship with a younger man. The description 'Cougar Woman' infers a predatory mature woman (35-50+) who hunts, stalks, lusts after and imposes her attentions upon some innocent, inexperienced young male. The traditional description for the older male who does likewise is, 'Sugar Daddy' -- Would it not be appropriate, in light of today's touted 'equality of the sexes' to apply the description of Panther Daddy? Or, where the male is a cheating spouse, then perhaps 'Cheetah Daddy' may fit the bill?

As it is ending a relationship is difficult. It is even harder for the person in the relationship who is giving all he/she has only to find out that their partner has been unfaithful. How do they handle it?

Need to get beyond relationships that just don't work?

Although some relationships are mutually abusive, more frequently there is an imbalance of power in abusive relationships. While abuse may take the form of physical violence, abuse can also occur on an emotional and verbal level. Here are some steps to help you deal with an abusive partner.

When it comes to romantic relationships, it is common for arguments and disagreements to arise. These challenges come up as a way to help us move forward. But what we often do is throw out a relationship, instead choosing to create a new one with the hopes that the new one will be different (generally the new one mirrors the previous). The key question is what if you treated your relationship with your partner the same way you treat your relationship with yourself?...

Emotional and physical abuse is believed to be only for women. Men are the abusers and women the victims. Don't women abuse men? Yes they do get abused and mercilessly. A woman can be brutal when it comes to blames and accusations.

Swinging, also called the alternative or 'alt' lifestyle, seems to be increasingly popular among mainstream, middle-aged married couples in America. With this increasing number of people who are into the lifestyle there is also a growing need for interactive ways to meet similar thinking couples.

A jubilee of any sort is a definite excuse to celebrate and to acknowledge a sense of fulfilled experience. It is another opportunity that serves to extend good will and appreciation. As also to acknowledge that those who travel alongside enrich the journey.

You've patientlly waited for it. Hear it is Part 2 of heartache. Enjoy!

How is that that I have great and not so great relationships with different people? What is there that makes me like and be liked as well as hated (or disliked) and hateful (or despising)? Why do I recognize negative qualities in some people and positive qualities in other people?

Most of us marry. But all too often divorce is the outcome. Why? Because we haven't been available for the love we say we want.

The admen and the marketing mavens have created a cultural expectation around special occasions and calendar events. We are inundated with sales pitches for Christmas, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, New Year, Halloween, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and any other day they can find that will make us feel that we absolutely have to buy a gift to express our sentiments. Dates on the calendar are merely days like any other days. Our relationships are 365 days a year and something this good deserves a celebration at any time and at any place.