Last week, I was sitting at the park watching my girls play when I noticed something that piqued my interest: an older woman was affectionately leaning on a man, who I presumed was her husband.

I snapped a photo of the couple, named Justina and Patrick, and then showed it to them (the photo is above).

“I’m guessing you’re married,” I said.

“Almost 50 years,” she replied, smiling.

“You seem to like each other after all this time — what’s the secret to a happy marriage?”

She replied, “Always remember that you’re two people, and there are going to be areas where you have to respect the need for privacy and difference. Figure out what those areas are early on — and which ones are important — and then learn to create space for that.”

It’s basically a message about healthy boundaries from a woman who ought to know. And for those of us who are married and sometimes have trouble leaving space for privacy and difference, it’s a great word of advice.

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