Do love and marriage really go together like horse and carriage?

Etsy.com

I remember watching not the smartest yet entertaining sitcom as a kid called “Married with children” about a slightly dysfunctional American family. The theme song was Frank Sinatra’s “Love and marriage” which tells us that apparently the two go together like a horse and carriage. Do they still in our times?

People often don’t get married these days and stay in partnerships for years and years. If the legal framework of the country grants the same rights for both partners and husbands, and wives there’s really no logical reason to get married any more.

Having said that marriage still seems to have its value for many people. I’m not talking about the religious sort, they of course have reasons to get married such as to stop living in sin and upsetting God. For the rest of us marriage may be just one of the romantic things to do which we want to do just because. Marriage even in the modern world retains its symbolic dimension.

There’s something special about the vows and the promise of doing our best to have a happily ever after with our partner. There’s some commitment in it, that moving in together, sharing life expenses or even having children don’t have. Of course, there are divorces and nothing is ever certain but by deciding to marry someone we’re promising to do our best for the partnership to last for the mutual benefit.

One may say that this sort of symbolism is redundant but I’d disagree. Humans are highly emotional and sentimental beings. I’m sure even you, Dear Reader, had an experience of liberation when you burnt pictures of the ex that hurt you or went on a date with a hottie to a restaurant that used to be yours and your previous partner’s. I’m not a supporter of socially imposed traditions and I don’t think that marriage has the same significance for everyone. I know, however, that when you believe that you’re with the right person and you have a bright future in front of you marriage is something that on a personal level feels natural and right.

Marriage should be a sign of love but of course that people were in love at the point when they were getting hitched doesn’t mean it always going to stay that way. Compatibility is one thing and working on the relationship is another. One has to of course avoid the evil of excessive comfort and should never take their partner for granted, even if or rather especially when they put a ring on it.

To sum up, your newly enaged #zlotybaby, would like to say that she still believes in marriage as an relationship upgrade that has a significance to many people. There’s a reason why couple in partnerships for years and with children often decide to get married after all.

Now to you, Dear Rinsers. Is the link between love and marriage an artifact of the past? Is marriage important to you?