Is marriage overrated ?

[DoctorStrange]

Originally Posted by Gracey

enjoy your single life!!!

I have been both, I like both. marriage isn't for everyone. I know lots of people who are not married and are very happy.

I really like how you put that. Never heard it quite that way before.

Originally Posted by 7luminaries

When I said that, I was referring to my earlier longer post on p. 2.
If you read through that post, then you will understand what I am referring to.
7L

Well in that case I feel honored that even though you were referencing one of your own posts, you quoted me, thanks. A little confusing though, LoL.

As to reading the post, I read them all, I find that responding is easier when I know what folks have said in a thread.

[RedEmbers]

I've been married for just under a year now and I am having trouble answering this question. lol
I asked myself the same question a few times during my 8 year relationship (pre marriage) with my husband...

I was a teenager when we got together and did not have healthy models of marriage growing up so for a really long time I really did see marriage as an irrelevant and controlling institution particularly for women.

My own parents sacrificed their own greater happiness because they were stuck in the belief that marriage comes before personal happiness.

I never personally subscribed to this belief because I believe that no marriage can be successful if too many personal sacrifices are made... and if those sacrifices create imbalance.

I think that we each have to define just what it is marriage means to us individually and then if we are lucky our definition can be aligned with the person we may choose to share our lives with. If it is a man made concept then why then can we not simply choose to make it our own in separation from what others (religion and society) tell us it should be?

For some reason when I think of the word "marriage" I instantly think of the word "mateship"... I would say that I define marriage as a commitment to mateship... I expect that my friendships be mutually balanced and beneficial and I expect that my friends respect my needs as an individual. (And vica versa).

I do not believe that we are ever eternally bonded to someone unless we have decided to be. That goes for marriage as well. I do not think that love is expressed in the same way in the "other world's", I believe it to be more fluid and freely expressed.

Personally marriage for me is something I choose in this life as a way to experience what it would be like to commit to someone in a deep friendship bond... It is also about creating a new paradigm from what I have previously experienced... one which contains less of a feeling of "entrapment" and more an energy of equality and balance.

Those are just some thoughts about this topic for now.

[Jon-Pax]

Overrated, mmmm can't say mating for life is common among lots of creatures without the concept of divorce I'll add for mankind it works for some naturally with ease. and
then like many things some take the label and loose/miss the essence