Love And Marriage

I've been on vacation for the first time in years and I just got back. Ironically enough, the vacation called for me to fly out at the same time the hurricane was heading in....and we missed it. Yeah!

Having said that...today I spent catching up on my shows recorded on TiVo and I saw something that left me pretty appalled.

There was a nightly news teaser...it kinda disgusted me, not to mention turned my stomach.

I guess the new big thing is "divorce parties". They were filming them...you got to see themes, invitation cards, party hats, alcohol, high fives, etc. All I could think of was...how wrong...and how sad.

Here's a dissolution of marriage, and it's being lauded as the new "in" thing to do. Does marriage mean so little anymore? The destruction it causes families is now "no big deal"? And what about the carnage left behind? The broken dreams, the broken lives, the leftover kids? Do they not matter anymore?

Now, more and more, it seems that celebrating anniversaries are a thing of the past. Divorce is too easy. Marriage is entered too casually...with the thought "hey, if it doesn't work out, I can always get divorced." Color me old fashioned, but that's a HUGE part of why I haven't gotten married yet.

A few years ago I was at a wedding and in the first sentence the priest mentioned divorce. Granted it was in a different context, but all I could think of was that to even utter a word at that time is inappropriate...and it puts the thought into the excited bride and groom's minds. And I still believe in forever...in happily-ever-after. Maybe that makes me a sucker or a fool, but I do. And I believe that marriage takes work...and constant communication. Marriage is for the stubborn, for those who refuse to quit.

Now my parent's marriage didn't work out. And I do believe that there are certain exceptions to the rule...but overall, I think marriages stop working out because people stop trying and stop talking.

This weekend I was lucky enough to be a part of a surprise anniversary party for my best friend's parents. Their golden anniversary. I got to see their tears of appreciation and surprise that people loved them enough to plan this party out. Their life hasn't been easy. They've seen eachother through cancer, alcoholism, the death of children and grandchildren, but at the base was always a love of eachother and their kids. It was wonderful to get the opportunity to bask in their love...to celebrate THAT!

Thriving in love and marriage...THAT's worth celebrating...

Giving up has never been something worth a party to me.