Well, I did it. I wrote it and sent it and I bring it to you now. Do not laugh too much, I do not mean a single word but I had no bloody choice! And Bel, THANK YOU! You've been really helpful and I appreciate it!
Marriage Is the Institution That Lasts
"Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution?", said
Groucho Marx. It turns out that a lot of people do. The institution of marriage exists for
thousands of years and it has been one of the foundations of the society. Procreation is one of
the main purposes of the humans' lives and getting married is the first step in starting a family.
That is only one of the many reasons for people to get married. In marriage people benefit both
materially and spiritually.
Being in love is what majority of married people would name as their main reason of signing that contract in the first place. They also say that love itself is not enough to make marriage work. In a marriage one really gets to know their significant other. They learn to compromise in the process, to appreciate one another and to accept each other both with their virtues and their flaws. Naturally, every marriage has its ups and downs. Signing that contract gives them a reason more to hold on, to make it work even through the hard times. "The paper", as it is often called, has not only the obligatory but also the symbolic role; it declares to the world the dedication of two people to spend their lives together. They become a family and when hard times come, they do not abandon each other, just like people do not abandon their parents or siblings in times of trouble.
By getting married, before God or the state, they give each other a firm promise of loving, respecting and standing by each other no matter what. No such promise is given when people are simply co-habiting. Marriage is an institution and is recognized and protected as such by the law. There are numerous rights and benefits that are guaranteed to the married couples. For instance, if one gets ill and ends up in a hospital unable to speak for oneself, a spouse has the power to decide on the medical treatment or procedures that one should get. Should one die, the spouse and the children inherit everything. In case of a divorce, everything is didvided in two halves since it is considered that in marriage everything was earned or acquired by both spouses. This protects women in particular since there have been numerous cases in the past of women being left with nothing and practically out on the street after the divorce. Now the law treats spouses as equals.
One of the main roles of marriage is starting a family and raising children in a healthy and loving environment. Children benefit tremendously from having both of their parents around. They are raised in a traditional way and learn what the traditional roles of men and women in a society are. It is also much easier on the parents; they are not alone when it comes to taking care of the children and there is always someone to rely on or to turn to when problems occur. They also share the responsibilities and the burdens of everyday life such as costs of living or problems in coping with the working environment. Just having someone to talk to at the end of the long day can be a blessing and is certainly worth fighting for.
into it, it will last forever and it will provide shelter and security for its inhabitants. However, it
is important to understand that love alone is not enough. Marriage should be based on trust,
acceptance, hard work and will to compromise. Only then it will last and work out successfully.
