Married Couples, the caring and feeding of

A while back, I had alluded to spending time with Jason and Michele, one of the many couples I know who have been married for less than 3 years or so. I was asked to perhaps comment on what I have noticed about the married couples I know. This is more relevant today, since I was the 'best man' at my friend Christian's wedding in late December out in beautiful Laguna Beach, California. Perhaps I might have some really unique insight into the behavioral patterns of married couples where I've known the groom for at least several years. After wracking my mind for some consistent theme, I realized that I couldn't quite come up with anything truly profound, analytical, or even funny. However, I can say that the movie view of married couples from the unmarried person's standpoint does seem flawed, in at least one aspect. For instance, in 3 of my more familiar movies (About A Boy, Bridget Jones' Diary, There's Something About Mary), the married couple smarmingly lectures to the unmarried protagonist about how great it is to be married, and urges the same protagonist to follow their fine example. I have yet to encounter such admonitions from the 'real' married couples I know. So, that time-worn script cliche doesn't bear out in real life. However, there is one key observation I've noticed about real-life married couples, particularly those who have been married fairly recently: The guy is noticeably more deferential to the gal in marriage then even when they were dating. Most of this is just a gut feeling, not based in any real pattern, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree (Woof!). Maybe guys become bigger wusses as they get older. If any of you out there disagree, or have some kind of explanation for this apparent phenomenon, you know how to reach me.