In an age when divorce is rampant, living with boyfriends is acceptable (common, actually), and feminism has triumphed, marriage has lost the reverence it once held in the hearts of young American women. Despite this fact, there still remains a strong belief in the institution of marriage. This article is not talking about weddings. Weddings are more popular than ever. It is ironic in the sense that as divorce rates skyrocket, so do weddings. This article is talking about the true meaning of marriage.
The definition of marriage according to the Mirriam-Webster Dictionary is “the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law.” But a real marriage is much more than a recognized-by-the-state contract between a man and woman…it is a joining of two lives and two families, a promise of fidelity and love, a partnership for life, a comradeship in parenting, a union recognized by God (if you are a Christian) and the eternal bond of best friends. In addition to living together, a married couple shares the everyday struggles and triumphs that life throws our way.
So how does this apply to us, collegiettes™? Truthfully, it affects our everyday lives. Entering college as a freshman, most girls are single and on the hunt. But what are we on the hunt for, ladies? Is it dating? Is it sex? Is it someone to hold our purse while we shop? I believe that most women are searching for the man with which they want to spend the rest of their lives. So we wake up in the morning and generally spend an hour getting ready for the day…showering, brushing out teeth, straightening our hair, picking out our clothes, and checking the mirror one last time before leaving our dorms or apartments. All of these actions, aside from physical health reasons, are taken because we know that there is one man out there for us and we need to look our best when we first meet him.
Does this mean that we should all abort plans for whatever career we had in mind and begin pursuing our degree in MRS? No. Believing in marriage simply means that we proceed into relationships with our hearts guarded and our prayers many. Take caution when you entrust your heart and body to another soul, but be open to the idea that everyone can find true love. Do not completely abandon the morals that our mothers, grandmothers, and ancestors before them upheld in regards to marriage. For the women who do not trust men yet, support your friends with encouraging words and wisdom as they date and fall in love. Remember that men are human too and will make mistakes. The guy that breaks your best friends’ heart may be a jerk but there is also a knight in shining armor waiting for her around the bend…perhaps he is standing next to your prince.