Cliff Barrows says that there are 12 words that are absolutely essential for a good marriage. Here they are: I was wrong, I am sorry, Please forgive me, I love you. Any relationship he says has to have those 12 words in it or it simply won’t work.

If you have a husband who is so proud that he will never say, “I was wrong,” & you have a wife who is so proud that she will never say, “I’m sorry,” and if you have children who are so proud that they will never say, “Please forgive me,” then you have a family where no one is saying, “I love you” to each other. And that relationship simply can’t work.