The Four-Letter Word That Can Deepen Any Couple's Love

Marriage therapists have identified a magical four-letter word that strengthens relationships - and no, it's not the one you shouted during last night's argument. The word is "Ours" (disappointing, we know). Studies show couples who use "our" instead of "my" for shared responsibilities have 63% fewer passive-aggressive fridge notes. "Saying 'our debt' instead of 'your credit card bill' is relationship Viagra," claims therapist Dr. David Pell, showing before/after brain scans of couples who made the switch. The linguistic trick works so well that IKEA now engraves "OUR meatballs" on shared plates, while divorce lawyers report a 40% drop in clients who attended "Pronoun Adjustment" workshops. The only exception? When used sarcastically ("Oh, OUR mother-in-law is visiting again?"), which researchers found actually accelerates breakups.