Mom and dad have been together for 45 years, this is longer than most marriages I know. I asked them one day what is the secret to a lasting marriage. Mom and dad explained that they never put off fights. If you find something that’s not to your liking, you address it there and then. This ensures they never go to bed with a heavy heart, or not speaking to each other. Truly, I believe this has worked for them, because they do have some epic fights. These aren’t those abusive and damaging fights, but healthy arguments that help them solve issues. If they fail to see eye to eye, they tend to find a compromise that will work for both of them. Recently, I witnessed one of their epic fights. This was over thermostat settings which dad complained mom was hogging. Mom has been ill, so in summer, she still wants the house to be warm. Given how hot it is outside, the heat can become quite unbearable in the house. Dad tried understanding why mom chose to leave the house warm in June when she was super ill. But, by August, he wanted some chill in the house and would change the thermostat settings. Mom and dad always quarrel about the thermostat settings, but this time it got quite epic. So, in order for them to live in harmony, I had them install HVAC zoning. That way, their bedroom would be nice and warm for mom, and the rest of the house cool for dad. This was the best compromise since mom loves spending time in their bedroom while knitting her merchandise.