M: It seems like whenever I ZIG, my wife ZAGS.

F: I know the feeling. Sometimes it is as though my husband and I belong to different species.

M: How can two people stay separated by the same language? Whatever I?say seems to mean something else to her.

F: Was it always this way?

M: Maybe. But it seems to me that my wife and I used to understand each other, even if we didn’t always agree.

F: I feel the same way. But gradually, we drifted apart. Our lives became very different, and we lost much of our common ground.

M: I don’t think it has anything to do with intention. I still love my wife as?much as I ever did, and I think she feels the same about me. But we live?separate lives, nevertheless. We just don’t communicate very well anymore.

F: In my case, we communicate, but the message is always mixed. We hardly?ever agree any more, and even when we do it is WITH ILL GRACE. Unlike you, I cant say that we still love each other. We’ve been very unhappy together.

M: I see other couples who have been together for decades, and they still?seem to have a very vibrant relationship. They act like they’re still teenager in love. And I wonder how they manage to stay that way for so long.

F: They’re very lucky, I guess.

M: Do you think they have some secret that we could learn?

F: They must have one. But I don’t know if we could learn anything from them. I think I did my best, I don’t think I could do any better than I did, but it just didn’t work.

M: It seldom does. Husbands and wives both invest too much of their PSYCHE into their relationship, and each one want too much from it. They both end up frustrated and disappointed that they don’t get everything they want. But it’s impossible entirely to give up all of one’s own ego.

F: My experience is just the opposite. I don’t think people give enough of themselves to their lover. They are too selfish and indifferent, and want more out of the relationship than they’re willing to give. That’s what the real problem is!