the natural order

Simone believes that the natural order for women and children is to be subservient to the man of the house. Her husband, Brian, is masterful and Simone believes it is her duty to treat him like a king.

"Men like my husband Brian don't grow on trees," confides Simone, "he's special, very special."

Brian may be special but Simone is far more special because any other woman might not have succeeded in the marriage as well as she has, and some would not consider her marriage successful at all in that she has no equality with Brian.

"I do not feel dominated, demeaned or threatened by Brian’s power over me," explains Simone. "But I can understand that a lot of women could not accept this sort of behavior in a husband. And that's their failing."

A large part of Simone’s life involves menial work - picking up and cleaning up after her husband and four children - and a lot of women could not accept this either.

"Brian does not believe it is a man's duty or his children's to do any work in the house," explains Simone. "I accept this and am I quite happy to be subservient to him and the children."

"I wash and iron and lay out his clothes every day, just like I do for the children," says Simone. "It is a joy to perform these tasks."

"If Brian wants something," adds Simone, "he will ask me to get it for him rather than get it himself. I don't see this as demeaning. He is honoring me by sharing his life with me."

"I accept all of this as the 'natural order' of family life," confides Simone. "And if I disobeyed him - which I would never do - he would beat me and I would deserve it."

"I'm the eldest child in a large family and I've grown up accustomed to being of service to people," explains Simone. "My father was a strict disciplinarian and whatever beatings we got we definitely deserved it - though sometimes I would take the blame for something a younger child did in order to spare him or her from the strap."

Simone maintains her equilibrium by making time for herself every day to practice yoga and meditation.

"It's very important for women to get in touch with their core," says Simone. "When I do this every day, I know that the path I have chosen is the true one and that I am blessed to have a strong man like Brian in my life."

Although her lifestyle is seemingly materialistic - the family live in a big house and have all of the modern conveniences - Simone is essentially a spiritual woman. Perhaps being a Scorpio makes her the special woman she is.

"I am aware that at any point in time something could happen to Brian or the children and I do not take my blessings for granted."

"There is an unwritten law in traditional marriages that the women take care of the house, children and food and the men take care of the garden, transport and money, " explains Simone. "I accept this with grace, pride and honor."

"When the family travels together," says Simone, "Brian always drives. But this is typical of all marriages, traditional or not, isn't it?"

She has a valid point there, but even when Brian had to go to hospital for an operation, Simone allowed Brian to drive the family to the admissions center. She drove back home alone with the children.

Simone explains that she would have demeaned him had she insisted upon driving him.

"Brian hates being ill, it makes him appear weak," explains Simone, "so it was very important that I acted as if nothing serious was wrong with him."

Simone maintains that one of the secrets of a successful marriage is accepting the role of a dependant woman and allowing the man to be a masterful man if this is what he wants.

This works with men like Brian who need to be in control at all times.

"Other men may be little boys and may just want to be mothered," says Simone, "and some may want complete freedom."

She feels that the style of a marriage depends upon the man, but the success of a marriage definitely depends upon the woman.

"Finding a man who, first of all, wants to be married is hard enough," laughs Simone. "Finding one who matches your personality - your level of tolerance - is harder still."

"And yet," says Simone, "given the benefits of wedded bliss it is possible for any woman to bend to the particular needs of any man."

Indeed, Simone points out that in some parts of the world it is customary to have arranged marriages.

"Marriages are arranged for both men and women," says Simone, "and most women have little trouble adapting themselves to the man with whom they have been paired."

Of course, they have no choice.

Simone thinks that we are lucky to be able to choose our husbands, and that being the case she feels it should be the easiest thing on earth for any woman to make a success of her marriage by bending to their man’s needs.

Simone thinks that the high divorce rate is attributable mostly to women trying to change their men.

"I cannot understand why any woman would want to marry a man and then want to change him." sighs Simone.

"I believe that the high rate of domestic violence is largely caused by men’s frustration with their women’s unnatural desire to lord it over them."

"No woman in her right mind marries a brutal beast," says Simone, "and if a man turns into a monster after marriage then women need to take a long look at themselves and ask what they did to turn the man they loved into a brutal beast."

"If women want to be treated like a queen," advises Simone, "then they should treat their men like a king."

"I may do a lot of menial work around the house," confides Simone, "but in all other respects I am Brian's queen and he is my king."