The meaning of marriage

There are couples that cherish the commitment and partnership that marriage brings. But nowadays, I hear more and more stories of couples getting married after weeks of knowing each other or getting married really young when they’re not even able to support themselves. How can you expect your marriage to last if you hardly know the person you’ve gotten hitched to? What is the meaning of marriage?

I feel that the true meaning of marriage has been lost and replaced with the unrealistic fairy tale version that everything will magically work out.

Meaning of Marriage: Marriage after a week

Carton box collector Mohd Sofri Ibrahim, 31, just got married to a 56-year-old single mother of 10 children last week, Harian Metro reported.

“We've known each other only for a week and we promptly agreed to marry,” he added.

The single mother, known as Zainun, who works as a restaurant helper in Pasar Siti Khadijah, said she was happy and confident that her husband would provide and care for her.

Meaning of Marriage: Marriage no longer sacred

Long ago was the day where marriage was considered sacred. Today, over 50% of marriages in the US end in divorce. With people getting married out on the whim, it’s no surprise that marriages are short-lived and ends with divorce.

It is unfortunate to hear several more young couples getting divorced. It is as though they don’t see marriage as something they have to work on. Marriage requires communication and hard work to be successful. You don’t just rush off to the courts to get a divorce if you are unhappy at your spouse.

Whatever happened to “Till death do us part”? Every marriage has its problems but you have to work through them to make the union work.

Short-lived Hollywood marriages

I’m sure you all remember Kim Kardashian’s record 72 days of marriage to her then NBA-player husband Kris Humphries. The couple dated for six months prior to getting engage and then got married in a hyped-up luxurious wedding. The best thing is that the couple chronicled their whole relationship from start to end of Kardashian’s popular reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashian.

Before Kevin Federline came about, Britney Spears was married to childhood friend Jason Alexander in Las Vegas. The marriage lasted a whole 55 hours! Both Spears and Alexander claim that the spirit of Vegas led them to go down the aisle of the Little White Wedding Chapel, but rumours of an ecstasy-fueled night circled the news despite Spears’ family and record label’s attempt to laugh the “incident” off. The marriage was annulled, but it marked the beginning of a downward spiral for Spears. But we’re all happy that she’s doing a lot better for herself now.

Say “I do” and mean it

To all the young couples out there planning to walk down the aisle, I hope you are prepared for the many bumps ahead. Get married because you want to spend the rest of your life with your partner, not only because you like the idea of your fairy tale happy after. Marriage requires work; you need trust, communication, patience, and love.

I am sure that there are still people out there that say “I do” and really do mean it. To all those married couples out there, I hope you have a blessed marriage and life together.

Sources:

Blind masseuse conned of RM70,000

Is marriage no longer sacred?

Top 10 Short-Lived Celebrity Marriages