Be open and honest. If you are unhappy, let your spouse know it. Remember that a good argument is better than no argument at all. If people were open and honest with their spouses, fifty percent of divorces could be avoided. –Bernard Rinella, Chicago, Ill.

Before the wedding, both the man and the woman should be as introspective as possible and think about both their strong and weak points. Then they need to share all of those strengths and weaknesses with each other. Both parties need to honestly consider whether or not they can deal with the other’s weaknesses. –Stephen Arnold, Birmingham, Ala.

In the marriages that make it, people don’t say, “That isn’t what I bargained for when I got married.” When there is a change in the marriage, for example where the wife goes back to school, or the husband changes careers, the most important thing a spouse can do is be adaptable and support changes in the other spouse. –Patricia Ferrari, New York, N.Y.