[一] 遇到人生中的贵人时，要记得好好感激，因为他是你人生的转折点。
[二] 遇到可相信的朋友时，要好好和他相处，因为在人的一生中，能遇到的知已不多。[三] 遇到匆匆离开你人生的人时，要谢谢他走过你的人生，因为他是你精采回忆的一部分。
[四] 遇到曾经和你有误会的人时，要趁现在解清误会，因为你可能只有这一次机会解释清楚。[五] 遇到曾经恨过的人时，要微笑向他打招呼，因为他让你更加坚强。
[六] 遇到曾经背叛你的人时，跟他好好聊一聊，因为若不是他今天你不会懂这世界。[七] 遇到曾经爱过的人，记得微笑向他感激，因为他是让你更懂爱的人。
[八] 遇到曾经偷偷喜欢的人时，要祝他幸福唷！因为你喜欢他时，不是希望他幸福快乐吗。[九] 遇到你真的爱的人时，要努力争取和他相处下去，因为当他离去时，一切都来不及了。
[十] 遇到现在和相伴一生的人要百分百感谢他爱你，因为你们现在都得到幸福和真爱。During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said,"How do I know if I married the right person?"
I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?"
In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?" Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind. Here's the answer.
EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU.
People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.
Falling is love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts. The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.
At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?"
And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances. But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage.
It lies within it. I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):
THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.
SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression "the labor of love." Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work. Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.
Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can "make"
love.
Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... Not just a feeling.
What do dating agencies offer and how much does it cost to join? And just how do you meet your perfect mate? Find out in our handy guide.
20, Raffles Place, Ocean Towers #14-01. Call 65360100.
Targets: High-flying executives. The company has close to 500 members in its database since it opened last June. About 40 per cent are expatriates.
Costs: $1,400 buys you membership for 12 months or 14 dates, whichever comes later.
How guy meets girl: Clients are interviewed for more than an hour by agency staff, who try to form a picture of the ideal mate. They arrange a lunch date or after-work drinks at one of the company's 15 affiliate restaurants and night spots such as Gusto, Hibiki Restaurant and Sake Salon, Ocho Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar and Amici Italian
restaurant.
Drinks At Eight
30, Raffles Place, Caltex House #23-00. Call 6233 6863.
Targets: People who enjoy the high life. The newest agency on the block started operations in March and has some 85 members.
Costs: $680 for eight dates of your choice. In addition, enjoy a bottle of 2003 Sauvignon Blanc or 2002 Pinot Noir on the house (for this month only).
How guy meets girl: Clients fill up about 10 pages of forms describing their ideal dates. Agency staff throw in shopping companionship and offer grooming tips to clients for their dates at fine-dining restaurants such as Senso, Fuenti and Le Bistro. There are also wine appreciation yacht cruises.
30, Robinson Road, Robinson Towers #03-01C. Call 6225 4465.
Targets: Executives, entrepreneurs and expatriates. Launched last June, Two To Tango has more than 500 members.
Costs: $960 for 12 pre-screened dates in a year.
How guy meets girl: Couples are paired off after screening by the agency. Clients get discounts on various activities. Image consultants also give lessons on grooming and etiquette at discounted rates. There is a Pets Dating Programme, where two pet lovers who do not want to leave their pets home alone can double date with pets in tow.
24, Raffles Place, Clifford Centre #21-02. Call 6532 0010.
Targets: White-collar professionals. Set up in June last year, 90 per cent of its 600-strong database comes from the professional sector, including lawyers and accountants.
Costs: $850 for annual membership package, including 12 introductions; $580 for half-year membership, including six introductions.
How guy meets girl: Couples are e-matched according to their stated profiles, physical and personality preferences as well as analysis of their handwriting samples.
Red, White And True
Nagarathar Building, 5, Tank Road #02-03. Call 6737 9239.
Targets: Anyone yearning for that special someone. Since its opening in January this year, the agency has registered close to 200 members.
Costs: $55 for each match, no registration fees. From next month, the first date will cost $80 (inclusive of a registration fee of $55), while subsequent dates cost $25 each.
How guy meets girl: After meeting an agency staff for an assessment, a match is found and phone numbers exchanged. When the company has enough people on the database, it is planning to organise Speed Introduction, singles parties, self-help workshops and seminars.
Targets: Those in their late 20s to early 40s. Set up in November last year, it has more than 900 members today.
Costs: Free of charge for women. But men have to buy a gold membership at $19.90, $39.90 and $59.90 for three, six and 12 months respectively. The platinum membership costs $39.90, $69.90 and $99.90 for three, six and 12 months respectively. Those who sign up for the platinum membership have higher chances of finding a match.
How guy meets gal: Both parties sign up online and are matched by a computer system. The guy invites the girl to a movie. Tickets are hand-delivered to their homes. The couple simply turn up for the movie. Upcoming plans are for bowling dates, swimming dates, clubbing dates and coffee dates.
