So what's the big deal? Why shouldn't you be able to "test run" a relationship? After all, doesn't everyone say you can't know someone until you've lived with them? Well, it's actually a really big deal. Apart from religion, lovey-dovey wedding plans, and family pressures believe it or not marriage has a real purpose as an institution.
Most mistakenly think marriage is solely about making a commitment, and while that is indeed the main component it's not the only benefit. Any relationship, especially moving in with your partner, requires a commitment of some sort so marriage is not alone in that aspect. The same kind of emotional attachments are made in serious dating relationship. So the real benefits of marriage are other things: protection - legal rights - public commitments (definitely different from private commitments).
Consider it this way. Assuming a lack of a prenuptial agreement, when a couple gets divorced everything is split down the middle according to the circumstances. But what happens if there was no marriage? There's no surefire legal way of sorting things out because chances are both sides weren't keeping itemized records of joint purchases nor were they signing promisory notes for small loans.
In short, this article brought to light what I believe to be a serious miscalculation on the parts of many. Marriage isn't something to be "test driven." You're either ready, or you're not.
No comments:
Post a Comment