A happily married woman shared that she and her husband got married after 10 long dates.

Just 10 dates? How can that be? Because in 10 dates they knew enough about each other’s character, sensibilities, values and goals to know that they would be great marriage partners.

They had meaningful conversations when dating.

Did she know her future husband’s favorite pizza topping or the name of his third grade teacher? Of course not! But these are things she didn’t need to know.

It was the strength of his character, commitment, integrity and vision that mattered. After 10 years, she says that her husband’s character has never surprised her.

Common values, mutual respect and admiration, shared experiences and empathy are qualities that typically ensure a relationship’s endurance. Dating for marriage requires sharing these common values starting from the very first date.

Dating for marriage means learning the answers to the important questions. It means building a meaningful marriage by practicing meaningful dating.