DEAR ABBY: I'd like to respond to "Unhappy East Coast Wife," who is considering leaving her current husband for her high school sweetheart.
When I read her letter, one comment jumped off the page. She wrote, "My husband and I went to counseling and tried all the things you do when a relationship is failing."
Counseling isn't something only to be done as a last resort. My wife and I see our counselor at church once or twice a year, just to keep any "issues" we may have from escalating. With scheduled appointments, neither of us gets defensive.
Counseling provides us an opportunity to express our feelings to an unbiased, supportive listener -- and keeps the lines of communication open.
Our marriage is blissfully happy. I highly recommend routine sessions with counselors for all couples. -- HAPPILY MARRIED IN THE MIDWEST
DEAR HAPPILY MARRIED: It takes courage to confront problems in a relationship as they arise. Too many people sweep them under the carpet and hope they'll go away. (They don't.)
I'm all for your "preventive maintenance" sessions. Thank you for sharing your solution to an almost universal problem.