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    Let's see...20 years...I guess that qualifies.
    
    Not really.
    
    Each of our self-esteems [e-gad what grammar!] have grown over the
    years...as has the relationship.
    
    We were certainly not very self-esteemed when we first got married. On the
    other hand...we are both what I would say was self-confident and
    self-esteemed at this point in our lives.
    
    Are we opposites? Hmmmm...in some things. [Well, he's a boy and I'm a
    girl...] Probably not in what I would call 'major-life-style-area' type
    things, though.
    
    I would venture the opinion that M's answer is what one would call
    'good hind-sight'. That relationships that have been successfull turn
    our to have people in them that have full compliments of self-esteem
    and, indeed, after several plus years together folks do tend to become
    alike in many of at least the obvious ways.
    
    But, in my opinion, I think she is describing a symptom of good
    relationships and not a cause.
    
    If I had to say the single thing that was important at the *beginning*
    that helped us get to 20 years down the line and still having fun...is
    not *self-esteem* but respect for the differences of the other partner,
    and a mutual agreement not to try to change them.
    
    Just my thoughts....
    
    Melinda
    
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|  |     Re. 0 >> Marilyn..
    
    This Marilyn from what I've read, has been married three times.
       (Currently *still married to husband #3 )
    
    Why did her first two marriages fail ?  Could someone ask her to explain.
    
    Was it lack of the "necessities" to determine what a potential mate 
    could become ?  Why was she unable to use her talents to visualize what
    could become of her relationships/marriages ?
    
    It's my understanding that even though she went to college (sometime ago) 
    she does not have a college degree. [As of last time I read about her.]
    
    Why did she drop out of college several times ? 
    Could that affect her self-esteem when she is hanging with all these
    professionals in her husband's world? Since she does not possess a 
    professional degree and her husband does, is not an example of two
    people on the extreme ends of a pole ?
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|  |     
    Good topic!
    
    .0 immediately rang true for me.
    
    However.....
    In my experience people with low self-esteem will be attracted to
    people who they *believe* are as different from themselves as possible.
    
    I believe that it's difficult for your own profound perception of
    others to be operating fully when you've got low SE... 
    So, low SE people often, unwittingly, pick a partner whose SE *is* as 
    low as their own.
    They just can't see it.
    Both partners have SE "holes" - just in different places.
    
    When two low SE people team up for a long period they will change
    as individuals over time. If one's SE grows faster than the other
    then that individual will try and make their partner "catch up"
    - when this can't be done the relationship may well split, IMO.
    
    'gail
           
    
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