Marriage or Myth?

Marriage has taken a lot of knocks lately. Actually placed together with racism, feminism, exploitation of minority groups, etc, marriage rates quite low on the popularity stakes.

With all the bad press, I thought I'd revisit all the positive reasons I made the choice and commitment when I tied the knot 22 years ago.

Well, we all need a friend, right? We are all social creatures who need each other to bounce off, reflect and mirror.

We all need someone to share in the highs, but more especially to stand by or even carry us through the lows. How often do we want to run for the hills when the hard times hit, but doesn't experience show that after we have weathered life's storms, our relationships are stronger?

The loneliness factor - It's lovely being alone when we choose to be in the safety net of having a bunch of close friends who understand and respect our need for aloneness, however being totally alone and uncared for with no one to turn to, that's a plight not for the faint hearted

Two are stronger than one. When two stand steadfastly together in prayer or to see through a goal or vision, two are invincible.

Hell, you can't beat having someone to snuggle up with at night in bed, especially during the cold winter nights.

Better the spouse you got than the fantasy one! We all fantasise about Mr or Mrs perfect. We wouldn't be human if we never did that, but the truth be told, there are no perfect people. We're all the same. We are no more special than anyone else. No one else's marriage is better than ours. They may just work harder at theirs.

Marriage creates the opportunity to constantly work at building and perfecting the relationships within it eg. spousal relations and parent-child relations

It is the glue that prevents us splitting at the onset of every argument and gives us the determination to work things through.

Marriage is a caring, supportive partner ( which I am not always!)
Marriage is sharing a meal together, be it bread and baked beans
Marriage is always having a listener close at hand
Someone to talk to, laugh with, be quiet with...
Marriage is better than Radio 5
A partner gives us answers, maybe not always the answers we want to hear, but an honest answer (yes, those pants DO make your bum look big!)
A person to rub that aching limb
A shoulder to cry on
Someone to climb that mountain with
Someone to go on holiday with
Someone to share the adventure and sometimes torture of bringing up balanced, whole kids ( we try!)
Someone to be there when we're not (physically, emotionally or spiritually)
Marriage is about being in the present, living in the now and being real
Marriage is about getting dirty and cleaning up the mess
Sometimes it's a mud bath and other times it's the bubble bath at the end of a hard day's work

I love marriage and some days I don't and that's also o.k.

But I am glad that I took the plunge and invested myself in the forever until death do us part - kind of marriage.

I wouldn't do it any other way and I have no regrets.
I am glad that I made marriage my choice.

So to those of you who share my thoughts, may your days with your loved ones be long and may you savour the journey

in love and kindness for each other
until next week

Nicolette