"After losing a woman that I loved, and a marriage of almost 16 years, here's the advice I wish I could have had..." This is his advice...
Choose love.
In the end, this is the only advice you need. If this is the guiding principle through which all your choices is governed, there is nothing that will threaten the happiness of your marriage. Love will always endure.
Don't sweat the money.
Money is a game, find ways to work together as a team to win it. It never helps when teammates fight. Figure out ways to leverage both persons strength to win.
Always grow together.
The stagnant pond breeds malaria, the flowing stream is always fresh and cool. Atrophy is the natural process when you stop working a muscle, just as it is if you stop working on your relationship. Find common goals, dreams and visions to work towards.
Let yourself be vulnerable.
You don't have to have it all together. Be willing to share your fears and feelings, and quick to acknowledge your mistakes.
Be open and transparent.
If you want to have trust you must be willing to share EVERYTHING: Especially those things you don't want to share. It takes courage to fully love, to fully open your heart and let her in when you don't know i she will like what she finds… Part of that courage is allowing her to love you completely, your darkness as well as your light. DROP THE MASK: If you feel like you need to wear a mask around her, and show up perfect all the time, you will never experience the full dimension of what love can be.