- There's an overused idea that marriage is a lot of work. The idea is quite dull and makes it sound tedious. Viewing it as serious play where you can collaborate and work together might make it more meaningful and enjoyable. ---- "for me, I’ve abandoned the idea of work in marriage. Instead, I’ve begun thinking of the primary action of me and my husband’s marriage as serious play. I know that might sound frivolous, facile, or even frisky. But I mean play in the way that children interact in a sandbox. Together, they’ve set out to build something—a castle, a moat—yet creativity is prioritized over productivity. They learn about communication and collaboration from experimenting, not from textbooks and teachers. Their construction can fall apart, but the failure provides space to start anew. Ultimately, their commitment to the endeavor is serious, but the way they collaborate is playful. That’s what I want to emulate in building my relationship." - [Link](http://theatlantic.com/family/archive/2023/03/happy-marriage-communication-love-work/673504)