Anything can happen with relationships in the Third Age. They can grow stronger as wisdom and experience show us the importance of love and companionship. They can also come apart as we realize we have been living in denial of pain and guilt. In the case of the death of one of the partners, there is a huge vacant hole to be filled, and this hole can lead to extreme suffering and depression.
However, even the strongest relationships require change during the Third Age. As each partner changes their focus of their lives and their values shift, the whole relationship requires renegotiation. If the couple wants to stay in a partnership, they need not think in terms of perfect but rather good enough. They need to let go of old hopes and dreams and find new ones.
But vital to couples, as it is to every aspect of a happy and healthy Third Age, is continued emotional and spiritual development. The couple cannot rise to a higher level if it is held down with ghosts and prisons. And in the end, the spiritual union may be the most satisfying glue and the route to peace.
To learn more about the services and programs provided by the Third Age Organizations, click on the relevant category in the boxes below.
David 
