Most people dream of getting married one day. Having a magnificent
wedding is usually the bride and groom’s vision. When scheduling a wedding, so
much preparation, time and effort are placed into having the ideal wedding ceremony
and a memorable reception. But sometimes less thought goes into the kind of
marriage one is seeking. Unfortunately, the affirmations made during the
wedding ceremony, namely for the rest of our lives, in sickness and in
health, until death do us part are sometimes brief. With over half
of all marriages ending in divorce, a person should pose the following
questions: What makes a marriage work, and how can one strive to achieve a good
lasting relationship with his or her mate?
Marriage is not for everyone. Regrettably,
many couples don’t realize this until it’s too late. It’s a good idea to search
into your heart and soul and really think about how you see yourself as an
individual, and whether you’re ready to share and commit yourself to another human
being.
Before going into any type of
relationship, it is vital to know who you are first, because you usually
attract what you are. If you have a low self-esteem, then you will attract
someone who has a low-opinion of him or herself and will never value you as a
person. Denigrating or ridiculing you will always be their main objective,
before and after the marriage.
Love at first sight and thinking
it’s the right reason to get married so quickly may be a short-term sensation.
Getting to know someone is imperative and should be a long-term endeavor. Be
observant. How does the person treat his or her parents, other family members, friends
and strangers? Does the individual
you’re attracted to treat others fairly and with respect; is he or she
courteous, caring and compassionate? How does the person behave in private and
in public? Is the person appalling behind locked doors and a sweet
thing in public? The way a person behaves toward others is the same way he
or she will deal with you.
The kinds of people an individual
connects with will tell you plenty about that person. As the saying goes, show
me your friends, and I’ll tell you what type of person you are. If your
future spouse loves to party all night and stay up all day with his or her
friends, then this may be a sign that you will be spending lots of nights
alone.
Never make the assumption that a
person will change for the better, or that you have the power to transform
someone’s negative ways. If a person is an obnoxious jerk when you meet him or
her, then he or she will continue to be an unbearable jerk during the marriage,
unless there is some divine intervention.
Looks, money and status alone
will not tell you who a person really is, but how one handles unforeseen challenges
in his or her life will. Beauty wilts, money can disappear and a person’s
position can change, for better or for worse, during the marriage.
The questions you should ask
yourself are what is important to me, and what do I expect to get out of a
marriage. Are you looking for love, money or security? If these are the
only components that you are seeking in a marriage, then you should already possess
these elements before committing yourself into a marriage. If having children
is important to you, it should also be important to your future spouse. If you
are knee high in debt and you’re living from paycheck to paycheck, then perhaps
you need to evaluate your financial situation before taking that big step.
Before taking that big step, take a long look at yourself and your
future spouse. Examine the qualities you both take pleasure in, and see if
those characteristics make for a good sense of balance in both of your lives. Discuss
your likes and dislikes. Marriage is not an institution to be taken frivolously.
If there are existing problems, unnecessary drama or turmoil during the courtship
and engagement phase, then the both of you should take time out, evaluate your
state of affairs or go your separate ways.
