You will never guess where I have been a few weeks ago.

A very good friend of mine asked me to accompany her to her grandparents. She didn’t want to go alone, because their place was “a little weird”. I didn’t quite understand what she meant, but I said yes.

It turned out that “their place” was a retirement home. I immediately had a picture in my mind: a mixture of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and the “Simpsons-Grandpa-Retirement-Surrounding”, where old people sleepwalk through rotten corridors, aimless and under medication like zombies.

It turned out I was wrong. Terribly wrong.

What I found was some kind of paradise on earth. It was a vast compound with cottages, golf courses, outdoor restaurants, swimming pools, you name it. All in all: a tropical island paradise. Not bad for retirement, isn’t it?

The pensioners behaved more like teenagers than senior citizens. They laughed, giggled, played around, having fun. Weird indeed.

While my friend talked to her grandparents, I was sitting on a rocking chair enjoying the view, when a stunning looking 73-year old lady approached me:

“What is such a cute guy doing alone at this place?”

The classic of all pick up lines.

After 5 seconds shock-state I replied:

“… looking out for new grazing land.”

Just when I thought I was too bold we’ve started the most wonderful and interesting conversation I’ve had for years.

Her name was Louise and after a while of talking, I told her that I was a relationship coach and was helping people having healthy relationships. She then proclaimed proudly that she had been married happily for nearly 53 years and that she had the ultimate relationship tips for me.

By that time more and more of her friends surrounded us and before I realized what happened, they offered me all together on a silver plate their ultimate personal 7 relationship tips.

Of course, I want to share them with you and here they are,

The 7 Golden Relationship Tips From Our Grandparents:

1. Always talk with your partner about your problems
2. Take care of each other and respect each other
3. Spend time with each other, but don’t forget to take time for yourself
4. Learn to cook delicious meals
5. Know and respect the differences between you
6. Be patient and always try to compromise
7. Always do his laundries

I bet you assume I’ve put the last one in myself. Nooo… I haven’t. That was a real relationship tip from a likeable 68-year old grandma. Believe it or not.

That’s it. You have to decide for yourself what you find useful and what was maybe useful 50 years ago. I don’t judge. But some little advice from me: What was a useful relationship advice 2000 years ago, still is today.

Except for stoning to death your wife for unfaithfulness… I guess.

All the best,

Eddie Corbano