For Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, it's perseverance. For Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, it's maintaining separate work lives. For Doyle and Louise Brunson, having separate bank accounts helps.

　　这三对夫妻中，罗莎琳.卡特是美国前总统的夫人;奥兹?奥斯伯恩是个摇滚歌星，往返于康复中心的次数连他自己都记不清了;多尔?布朗森是个职业扑克选手，对于维系婚姻的秘诀有非常深入的看法。不管怎么说，他们对于婚姻的智慧都来自于几十年婚姻的积累和沉淀。

　　A former first lady, a rock star who's been in and out of rehab more times than he can remember, and a professional poker player can all offer considerable insight into the mysterious workings of marriage. After all, their wisdom is gleaned from decades of conjugal bliss.

　　当然，婚姻并不总是快乐的，但这几对长期以来一直保持着不离不弃的婚姻关系─而且从一而终。他们都认为自己的婚姻关系是快乐、稳固和彼此支持的。

　　OK, maybe it wasn't always bliss. But each of them has stayed married -- to the same person -- for a very long time. And each considers his or her marriage to be happy, strong and mutually supportive.

　　换句话来说，他们做到了许多人未能做到的事情。

　　In other words, they beat the odds.

　　1. 找到折衷点。

　　“如果每人都能让步75%，两个人就有150%的灵活空间。” 玛琳说道。她丈夫也表示同意：“很多男人会说这是怕老婆的表现，但我不这么看。向妻子妥协，是因为对我而言，她是这世上最重要的。”

　　'If each person can give 75 percent, you've got 150 percent,' says Ms. Critch. Her husband agrees. 'Many men would call that wussy,' he says. 'But I don't because I value her more than anything else in the world.'

　　2. 要有幽默感。

　　1967年的一个晚上，杰琪?伊根和肯?伊根在马萨诸塞州Newton市一家舞蹈俱乐部相识。肯向杰琪索吻，但遭到拒绝。“我还不了解你，” 杰琪对他说，“而且我的吻就像‘乐事薯片’一样，你不可能只想吃一片。”

　　Be funny. On the night in 1967 that Jackie and Ken Egan met at a dance club in Newton, Mass., he asked her for a kiss. She declined: 'I don't know you,' she told him. 'And my kisses are like Lay's potato chips -- you wouldn't want just one.'

　　“你得从对方恼人的生活习惯中发现一些有趣的地方，这有助于维护双方的感情，”69岁的杰琪说道。

　　'You need to learn to find the humor in each other's annoying habits. It helps you keep the affection,' says Ms. Egan, 69.