Marriage can be fun. That doesn't mean it's a comedy at all times, but there should be some delight and joy in a marriage. Unfortunately, too many people consider marriage a sentence to be served instead of an experience to be enjoyed.

On Mother's Day, I received a beautiful tie from my wife. Undoubtedly, you just thought, "The husband receives a gift on Mother's Day?" I, too, had the same question, but that beautiful redheaded wife of mine explained that I was totally responsible for making her a mother, and she wanted me to know that she genuinely appreciated it.

Needless to say, on Father's Day, she, too, received a nice gift. That's not necessarily earth-shattering and probably won't change a bad marriage into a good one, but it's fun and a good place to start. It's a way to communicate.

Unfortunately, many people believe that when they take turns talking, they are communicating. This obviously is not true. Communication means that we not only hear but we make every effort to understand what our mate is saying. That way, when the inevitable disagreements arise, you are on firm ground to resolve the problem because you have both heard and understood.

Then if you disagree, you can disagree without being disagreeable. When you treat your mate with courtesy and respect by giving them your interest and attention, chances are good you will be treated in the same way. When you have two people under the same roof treating each other respectfully and making an honest effort to solve disagreements, you're on your way to bringing fun back into the marriage.

Romance couldn't find a better base to build on than having a good time together. Give it a try and I'll see you at the top!

To find out more about Zig Ziglar and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. Subscribe to Zig Ziglar's free email newsletter through info@zigziglar.com.