What marriage means

When asking what marriage means, the answer is not as cut and dry as it would seem. There are many things to consider when answering this question; are we talking about marriage from a legal perspective, are we talking about what it feels like to be married, and what does marriage mean from the standpoint of commitment.

Marriage is a legally binding contract between two individuals. While marriage is a legal “arrangement,” it is surely not without feeling and emotion. Couples that are married have chosen to spend their lives together and share their physical belongings and their emotional being as well. A marriage is a partnership where each person agrees to be that one person who is always in their corner, cheering them on throughout life and is there during good times and bad. Marriage is seen as a long-term commitment with the hopes of it lasting a lifetime.

Marriage is not always “rainbows and roses” and often comes with its fair share of struggles. Married couples will have good times; however, they will also be forced to weather their fair share of storms throughout their journey. The hope is that the problems can be solved together, and they can emerge the other side stronger than before. As with all relationships, there will also be disagreements. Does this mean the married couple is incompatible if they argue? Absolutely not. It is how these disagreements are handled that is important.

Lastly, marriage implies commitment. Many people have the notion that if they are married, their spouse is loyal and true. Ideally, yes, this is the case; however, one thing to remember is marriage does not necessarily equal commitment. Some relationships never get married but are loyal from day 1, and then married couples have dealt with infidelity on both sides. For this reason, it is important to have a mutual understanding of what exactly marriage means to your partner and if this is a step you want to take. It is possible to have a lifelong commitment without becoming husband and wife.