Module 2: RESPECT OTHERS

(Page 13) Worksheet 5 (continued)

INTERVIEWER: What else do you need to keep things going?

SAM: You need lots of patience, understanding, loving and caring. When I first retired I resented the fact that I needed to pay for an extra hour in parking fees to allow for all the chats Gladys had with the friends she unexpectedly met while we were out shopping. It used to annoy me so much because it seemed a waste of time and money. Gradually I've begun to relax and quite enjoy our outings myself now!

GLADYS: I'm always in the driving seat now because Sam's eyesight is not good but he still thinks he's the instructor. I just ignore him. (They both laugh.)

Can it last?

Having read the interview with Gladys and Sam, plan in pairs what questions you could ask one or two couples like this to find out how their marriages have lasted. As you see from this interview, just one or two questions were enough to get them talking but the interviewer had some others up her sleeve such as:

• Have you had any bad times? What helped you get through them?
• Does your love for each other give you love to share with others?
• Do you like each other as well as loving each other?

You will think of other questions.

When you have the result of your interviews

either
• look at the relationship tree and decide how you would now label the roots and fruits; you may want to change some and add new ones.
or
• pool what you have discovered from your interviews with the whole class, create a class visual aid which will help you to remember what you have learnt about what is needed to create a strong lasting relationship.