Dear Readers: Wishing you all a fun and festive Valentine’s Day, filled with love and loved ones! I received this letter recently and was impressed with how well written and wise it was. What a perfect day to share it with you all.

Dear Annie: My wife, “Patsy,” and I have been married for 50 years, each one better than the last. Perhaps your readers might be interested in what works for us:

Marry your best friend. Passions fade, but friendship lasts a lifetime.

Don’t work at marriage. Play at marriage. Have fun with each other. Marriage isn’t a job; it’s a joy.

Share everything, even the parts that hurt to share. Dare to be vulnerable. Love all of each other, not just the parts you want each other to see. Secrets are the enemy of trust. Trust is essential for a happy marriage.

Find fun activities to do together and do them often. But also find time for individual activities. Become one with your spouse, but don’t lose yourself. 

Compliment each other. Say “I love you” a dozen times a day. Take joy in your spouse saying it, too. Unexpressed love is wasted love.

Support each other. Take pride in each other. Celebrate each other as the unique individuals you are.

Do not let problems fester. Discuss and resolve them before they become explosive issues. 

Attitude is critical. Work with your spouse in a joint effort to solve your problems instead of resorting to arguing. When the problem is solved, take a little time to heal and celebrate having solved the problem together. 

Finally, enjoy every minute of your marriage. Nurture that feeling you had when you were engaged. Help it grow into something even deeper and more wonderful. There is no greater joy in life than a happy marriage. Treasure it. Build it. Love it. But, most of all, enjoy it together! — Loving Every Minute

Dear Loving: You offer incredible advice, indeed. Keeping with this spirit, here are a few of my other favorite quotes about love:

— “Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” — Ursula K. Le Guin

— “A great marriage is not when the ‘perfect couple’ comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.” — Dave Meurer

— “Being in a long marriage is a little bit like that nice cup of coffee every morning — I might have it every day, but I still enjoy it.” — Stephen Gaines

— “Anyone can love a thing ‘because.’ That’s as easy as putting a penny in your pocket. But to love something despite. To know the flaws and love them too. That is rare and pure and perfect.” — Patrick Rothfuss

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Annie Lane’s second anthology — “How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.