Growing up reading fairy tales and seeing films with a happy Hollywood ending, 
I expected more or less the same kind of ending when I got married. I soon found out it took more than love to keep a relationship working. Unlike fairy tales, couples in love don’t always live happily ever after. It takes work and the willingness to listen and the willingness to accommodate one another to get through the rough spots. No one prepares you for that.
That’s why it was so refreshing to see the film The Last Kiss, a story about a number of couples, young and old, who find a number of surprises during their couple journeys, –ones they hadn’t expected. This film is an honest portrayal of what it takes to make a relationship work. It shows not only what happens when one partner in a relationship screws up but what needs to happen to get that relationship back on track. It isn’t about ditching and running when the love sours. When one breaks the vows, it takes a lot of forgiveness to keep going together. The Last Kiss is remarkable in showing the truth of many relationships. Oscar winning screenwriter, Paul Haggis, did a wonderful job adapting the screenplay from the 2001 Italian film L’ultimo bacio.
When couples decide to split without giving their relationships one more chance, it gives the old expression throwing out the baby with the bath water new meaning.
With divorces so high, with more and more young men and women choosing to live singly, with birth rates down, I wonder what you think about marriage? What do you think it takes to make a marriage work? Or is the prospect of commitment scarier than ever?
Thanks for the suggestion. Keep writing.
Thanks for stopping by.
Great questions, great post. It takes a lot to stay married, which is why one should not take marriage lightly, i.e., celebrity marriages.
I’m a fan of marriage and children. That’s just me. However, I don’t believe anyone should remain in an awful marriage regardless of children.
I feel lucky. After one failed marriage to an abusive man, I did marry the love of my life – even then, even when you find and marry the person you consider your soul mate, marriage isn’t easy.
The truth is, life isn’t easy. We sort of need to stop thinking that it should be.
It’s so true. It does take a lot to stay married. So glad you found the love of your life. And yes, a couple’s journey isn’t a smooth path. There are sunny days and then there are those stormy days that you have to weather if you want to survive. It’s all worth it in the long run.
i am just a little bit new in married life. a big part of staying married is knowing really hard your partner prior to tying the knot. although there is no assurance if long engagement would work in the end but i am sure it would take away a big amount of trouble knowing you’ve used your head and your heart when you do decide to marry the person.
You’ve said it well. It does take both your head and your heart to make the decision to commit. And to take the time to get know your partner before committing to marriage, but there are no guarantees. As long as you are both willing to listen and work on resolving any problems that come up, there’s a greater chance of success. It’s give and take, and love.