Long-Term Marriages Are Now the Exceptions, Not the Norm

Well-known restaurateurs, married for almost 60 years, give young people advice on how to create and sustain a long, happy marriage

Washington, D.C. --

   Gone are the days of sixty-year marriages being the norm. Such long-term marriages are now the exception to the rule, where starter marriages" are almost expected and divorce rates are high. In recent years, the trend has started to swing back, though, to more traditional marriages of lifetime commitments to one person. Lulu and Ulysses Auger, co-owners of the famous Washington, D.C. restaurant Blackies, which has been in business for 57 years, have advice for these younger generations who have started to embrace long-term commitment again.

   I looked into his brown eyes and it was as if I had truly come home. This is where I belong," Lulu remembers of her wedding day. In her newly published book My Life with Blackie the Greek: An Enduring Washington Love Story (Pacific Press), Lulu offers the following advice to young couples:

 Be prepared to work hard. While marriage can be one of the most joyful and rewarding experiences in life, it takes a great deal of work and effort to get it that way.
 Be open to compromise. You are not going to get what you want all of the time. If you are willing and receptive to compromise, then the difficult times will go a lot more smoothly.
 Revel in your uniqueness as individuals, but work together as a united front. Many people, when they get married, feel as though they must either completely lose themselves or spend the marriage fighting against their partner to remain unique. A strong marriage is built upon two people who know themselves well, but work together against the rest of the world.
 Know your strengths and determine roles for each person. Each person should not be expected to do everything in a marriage. That way toes will get stepped on. Know what you are good at and divide up your household and life duties based on strengths.

Lulu and Ulysses Auger met on a bus ride to Washington, D.C. in the 1940s when Lulu was just 17 years old. They were married after World War II ended and have remained married for almost 60 years. Together, Lulu and Ulysses built a Washington, D.C. restaurant and real estate empire, and their restaurant Blackies is considered a Washington landmark. Besides publishing her book My Life with Blackie the Greek, Lulu is developing an active lecture schedule, including giving a lecture in front of the organization Women of Washington on May 28th.

To schedule an interview with Lulu Auger or to receive a copy of her book, please contact Jennifer Hughes, publicist, at jennifer@booksintl.com or 703-443-0997.