Lessons About Marriage From Happy Couples, Part 2

Part 2 - You Don't Have to Do Everything Together

A friend from my dance class just returned from Vegas. I asked her if she won or lost and she said she didn't go there to gamble, she went there for Mr. Olympia.

me: "Mr. Olympia the muscle man thing?"
friend: "Yeah." (Friend weighs something like 90 lbs and is so not the body building type)
me: "You don't strike me as being into body building."
friend: "I'm not, my husband is. It was his birthday present."
me: "How was it?"
friend: "I wish I sent him with his friends and I stayed home."

It is really sweet, I think, when you do something you totally hate because your partner enjoys it. But is it worth it if it builds resentment?

This is pretty relevant to our relationship in general. I am a dancer and Dude is a swimmer, and we both actively hate each other's hobby. Occasionally, we'll humor each other. Occasionally I let Dude teach me to swim, and I didn't complain (much) when the Olympics were on. I try to get him to appreciate dance on TV, or at least he doesn't mind (much) when I practice at home. I wouldn't try to drag him to a performance and he wouldn't try to drag me to a meet. It sounds like we are being unsupportive, but I think it's the complete opposite. We completely understand that even though we don't understand or enjoy each other's hobby, that we need them, and having them makes us better people and therefore better partners to each other.