How well does your car run?

I've noticed that many couples differ in one essential aspect of their personalities; the way their motors run. Some people move quickly, speak quickly and act spontaneously. They may be more creative and independent. At the same time, their tempers may flare easily and inadvertently hurt their spouses' feelings.

In contrast, the other half of the pair may be more reflective, logical and slow-moving. That person may be more of a planner and worrier, and may have trouble shifting gears in the moment. Emotionally, this spouse may hold troublesome feelings in and deny or suppress them, until they emerge in a burst of anger and resentment.

Do you notice the pluses and minuses of each personality type? Isn't it amazing that these two people married in the first place?

I believe that they married because they felt incomplete and sought their missing parts. The more thoughtful person sought excitement and emotionality; the spontaneous one needed calm and reliability.

It's similar to driving a car: We need both the brakes and the gas pedal to move forward in a safe way towards our destination.

But even the best car needs attention and maintenance. We need to take time for periodic "tune-ups" of our marital relationships.