Marriage

I have never heard any person say marriage was easy, I have never expected marriage to be easy.  I know it takes work, sometimes more work then other times.  I am starting to believe every young couple should be matched with a older couple who has made it to hell and back a few times.  A couple to look up to and ask the questions like how did you make it through the tough times...not just once, but time after time.  A couple to ask when is it ok to give up and throw in the towel?  I believe some people choose to make life harder then it is, yes it comes with daily stress, but it is how you handle those stresses that will get you through.  Taking out your stress on your loved ones usually does not get you very far. I have learned from a pretty young age that life can be as simple as we make it.  we will have bad and good days, we will have to forgive and we will have to love unconditionally....BUT when is enough enough...when is the tears you cried more then sufficient to say I can no longer do this.  when do you walk away, so that you are not at a point of hating the person you are walking away from.  How many times do you accept I am sorry, throw everything under the rug and claim to start fresh?  In fact is there ever a real clean slate, or will something always trigger you to think of past hurts, past tears shed, past convos with the same empty promises of change?  is it truly better to stay in it because of the kids, or better to walk away because of the kids?