Staying Close to Your Spouse Through Life’s Seasons

Mar 18, 2026

Harriet Chung, marriage mentor who coaches couples on love languages and shared rituals, and Peter Chung, longtime husband and mentor with practical habits for lasting connection, discuss keeping marriage close through life’s seasons. They talk about shared activities and travel, mentoring younger couples, practicing each other’s love languages, and setting intentional long‑term goals.

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ANECDOTE

Plane Gift Backfired And Taught Preference Matters

Anecdote: A gift meant to surprise can miss the mark without knowing preferences.
Peter bought a necklace on a plane for Harriet; she disliked it and asked for money instead, so he later took her to the jewelry shop.

ADVICE

Schedule Shared Activities Regularly

Do plan and do activities together regularly to keep emotional connection alive.
Peter and Harriet watch new Kung Fu movies, set aside a “fourth day” for something different, and schedule annual long holidays to create shared memories.

INSIGHT

Helping Others Strengthens Your Marriage

Insight: Mentoring other couples refreshes your own marriage by forcing outward focus and reflection.
The Chungs teach marriage preparation together and say presenting solutions to others helps them recognise solutions for themselves.

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“Keeping our connection alive as husband and wife is really about being intentional. When you are intentional, it becomes more meaningful to spend time together.” – Peter

A couple's connection is the backbone of a strong relationship. Yet seasons of life—parenting, work pressures, and health challenges—can easily strain this bond. Choosing to nurture connection intentionally helps couples stay close, support one another, and grow stronger through every change.

Delia continues her conversation with Peter and Harriet Chung, married for 40 years, as they share practical wisdom on staying emotionally connected through life’s transitions. They discuss the habits that have kept them close engaging in shared activities, planning meaningful trips, practising each other’s love languages, and setting intentional long‑term goals.

The Chungs also reflect on how mentoring younger couples has strengthened their own marriage by encouraging them to look outward, grow together, and revisit the insights they offer others. Through candid stories from their parenting years and the decisions they made as a team, they show how intentionality, trust, and open communication can sustain connection across decades.

You can also listen to Peter and Harriet as they share, "Building a marriage that communicates better."

Build your early years of marriage with Connect2 Just Married! Designed to equip couples married for five years or less, this programme helps you learn key skills, clarify expectations, strengthen communication, and navigate differences and responsibilities with confidence. Grow a strong foundation and keep the romance alive as you journey together. Find out more at www.family.org.sg/C2justmarried.

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