My Kingdom. My Jungle. My Den.

As a veteran of the Viet Nam war, I can tell you, unequivocally, that the battle of love and marriage can only be won via conditional surrender. Yes, there are conditions that need to be met on all fronts. First of all, she, (your significant other), is not the enemy, (hopefully). She should always be approached with a proverbial “white flag” when any confrontational parlez is imminent. Never approach a disagreement with guns blazing, because marriage is a fragile entity that can easily be demolished, by the simplest salvo. You never want to be angry or confrontational with your mate, because later in life you will understand that she is all things good and special in your life. According to marital law, her authority regarding your well-being and financial status supersedes any blood relation, unless you have specified otherwise in legal documents. She is you, and you are her. Husband and wife are the two that become one. So, your main condition with her should be “Love always, and agree to disagree”.

Since nature, as eminent scientists agree, was designed by, a “Supreme Creator”, we as warriors can faithfully take our cue from the male lion, the so-called “king of the Jungle”. The lioness, or in his majesty’s case, the pride of females attends to all of the daily duties around the den, (your home), and makes all of the basal decisions regarding the day-to-day household routine. The male, who wears the mane in the family, only raises his powerful head and roars when the hyenas call. So, you, as the lion in this scenario, should only go to war with the natural enemies of the household, not your queen, your “equal opposite”, nor your offspring. Your physical stature and emotional strength are valuable assets to the pride. You are the gatekeeper, and the guardian as well as the heart and soul of the family unit. You set the pace and temperament of all who dwell in your domain. Are you always happy, no matter what life throws at you? Are you content with your station in life and your means of providing for your family? What motivates you to rise each day and fight the natural urge to just give up, lie down, and let someone else carry the burden? Does your roar strike fear in your enemies or send them away laughing like a pack of brainless hyenas? If you see something in the mirror that offends you, resist the urge to smash the glass, but instead make an assessment of the negative image so you can fix what is broken. (It is not so easy to fix a broken mirror, and only you can fix you.)