If you're looking for the secret to a long, happy marriage, you might as well stop now.

There is no secret.In fact, the answer to being happy in your relationship is pretty simple. It boils down to little more than love and respect.You should also be polite, says Marion Bradford, 90. Marion should know; she and her husband, Dean, 92, have been married for over 70 years."You've got to love the person," says Dean."Treat each other like people," Marion adds. "Don't argue. You have to like each other."The Bradfords, who tied the knot on Aug. 12, 1944, are currently residents at Heritage Hill Senior Community in Weatherly. The couple met at Penn State. Marion was an incoming freshman, and Dean an upper classman, who with his buddies, was checking out the new girls on campus."I didn't know who she was," says Dean, "but I thought 'This one I want to know right away.' She's a nice, beautiful girl and I lucked it out."He certainly did. Marion was a bit smitten as well."I was attracted to him. We didn't know each other, and then boom! We've had a beautiful life together. It seemed so natural and it worked out great."Dean agrees."We had a hell of a nice life," he says, beaming at his bride.Willard and Jean Lamson say they've been fortunate in that they never really argued over the years."I remember when my sister was getting married," says Willard, 89. "My mother said to my brother-in-law, 'We don't have any divorces in our family.'"Those words stayed with Williard over the 64 years he and Jean have been married."We don't fight," says Jean, 86. "We don't argue; very rarely."She says understanding each other is key. "I know what he likes. He knows what I like."The Lamsons met when Jean was in training to become a nurse; she was a classmate of Willard's sister and had gone home with the girl for a visit. Willard had wanted to borrow the family car, but first he had to drive the girls back to where they were living while in school.In addition to being even-tempered, Willard says that coming from similar backgrounds was also key."We love each other," he adds. "And we're compatible in that we worship together. Those who worship together, stay together."The Lamsons were active members of their church, White Haven United Methodist, before moving to Heritage Hill.Ted and Anna Nagle, both 90, have been married for 62 years."I was a registered nurse and worked at a doctor's office," says Anna. "The doctor had little affairs for people."Ted was a state trooper and one of those parties was for the local state police officers, which is where they met."I thought he was nice," says Anna.It seems Ted thought the same thing."She's a wonderful person. She was an educated girl and very much needed by the people of Weatherly. I thought she was a wonderful girl. She was a perfect individual."For Anna and Fred Serfass, coming from a small town seemed to make all the difference. They have been married for 62 years.Originally from Palmerton, they met in high school at a Saturday night dance. Fred, 86, was one grade ahead of Anna, who is 85. They were married 10 years later."We just seemed to get along," says Anna. "We didn't do anything special."Fred agrees."We always got along. After we married and had a family, we built our home. We refinished furniture on the side, together. She caned chairs. I rebuilt the furniture and brought it up to a new finish. We worked well together.""We come from a small town," says Anna. "Never left. We went to the same church. We just got along.""We lived in a small town," Fred adds. "We didn't need much."Anna shrugs her shoulders, seemingly convinced there's no big secret."We just get along."What the expertshave to sayPastor Mark Akers of the Freedom Community Church, Lehighton, says when he counsels married couples on a long-lasting and loving relationship, he tells them to "love" one another unconditionally and to forgive one another."In the Bible the word love is used as a verb. Love is an action that benefits another and comes at a cost to you. It requires sacrifice," he says. "So learn to put the needs of your spouse first, above your own. And do this regardless of how you feel or how deserving you think your spouse is of it."It's also important to learn to forgive one another regularly."Whenever two or more people are gathered together there is bound to be conflict. As flawed human beings we make mistakes often. We say things we don't mean and we do things when we are hurt or in the heat of anger that we later regret," says Akers."In a marriage there is no room to hold onto past hurts and grudges because they can sour the relationship. Forgive your spouse when they hurt you or offend you so that you can be free of bitterness and resentment."Give your partner the benefit of the doubt, says Nancy J. Blaha of Lehighton, a licensed clinical social worker, who specializes in individual and couples therapy."Check your own thinking," says Blaha. "When we are upset, we make up stories and pretend they are true. Mostly they are not."Blaha says we should also avoid absolutes like "he always" or "she never.""Care less about being right, and more about how to get happy."She says couples should also notice and build on what they like about their relationship.To keep moving forward as a couple, you should also take a good look at yourself."Practice accepting your own flaws and limitations," says Blaha. "Then do the same for your partner."