All you need is love

One of my favorite quotes is: "An emotional feeling is not an adequate basis for an enduring marriage — commitment is."

Recently I heard a wise woman say something similar. She has been married 35 years so I think she knows what she is talking about. She too said that marriage comes down to commitment.

If that is true, and I believe it is, what do we make of the popular Beatles song, "All you need is love?"

Marriage involves two selfish, sinful people trying to love one another in their own unique ways. Life brings stress, challenges, trials, temptations and a whole slew of other things. Is love going to get us through? Honestly, there are plenty of days I don't feel like loving. That's when commitment comes in.

Author Gary Smalley says that every enduring marriage involves an unconditional commitment to an imperfect person.

Enduring is defined as long-suffering; patient; to carry on through, despite hardships; to bear with tolerance. Unconditional is defined as not contingent; not determined or influenced by someone or something else; without conditions or limitations.

We each have a choice to make. I choose unconditional commitment despite the hardships, through the trials, during the dry seasons...

Love is just an added bonus.