How Do You Respond to Stress in Your Marriage?

Tension:

1. the act of stretching or straining.
2. the state of being stretched or strained.
3. mental or emotional strain; intense, suppressed suspense, anxiety, or excitement.
4. a strained relationship between individuals, groups, nations, etc.

Have you ever taken a new rubber band, one of those really thick ones, and tried to stretch it out? At first, it wants to hold onto its shape. If you keep pulling on it, though, the tension builds up enough that it stretches out—and the more it is stretched, the easier it is to keep on stretching it.