The marriage vows, “for better or for worse” and “until death do us part” have become foreign concepts in today’s society.
As a little girl I used to dream about a perfect wedding and a wonderful husband, with whom I would live happily ever after. However, as I grew older, I had a major reality check when I discovered that nearly half of all marriages end in divorce.
Although one can still occasionally hear about the celebration of a 25 or 50-year anniversary, it is not uncommon to also hear about marriages that last for only a few years.
Just take a look at celebrity marriages, which are infamous for being numerous and brief. Take, for example, Jennifer Lopez, whose longest marriage was barely more than a year or Robin Givens, who was married and separated from husband Syetozar Marinkovic, all in one day.
Given all of this, has marriage become a mockery?
No, the institution of marriage is not a mockery. However, those people who feel that they can change spouses like they change cars are mockeries.
Despite the 50 percent divorce rate in America, one must also consider the other 50 percent who somehow manage to make their marriages work. The fact of the matter is that marriage is what the two people involved make of it.
Every time I begin to doubt this, I just look at my adopted “grandparents” who just recently celebrated 60 years of wedded bliss. So, it can be done!
Marriage is still the sacred and holy institution that it was set up to be. However, until people begin to take it seriously and realize that marriage is a life-long commitment, the divorce rate in America will continue to soar.
Lana Lockhart, 20, is a senior English student from Tallahassee. She can be reached at LLock26479@aol.com.