Be Honest With Yourself: The Long and Short of Marriage
The Long and Short of Marriage
This is a picture of an idea — and an ideal.
It is a picture of two fine young newlyweds — a tall, handsome, wholesome young bridegroom and a sweet not-so-tall young bride. They have stars in their eyes — stars of eternal hope and happiness.
But the artist intended to suggest to us far more than this. He has here painted the dreams of every normal, healthy young man and young woman — a dream filled with a honeymoon, a happy home, laughing, loving children, faith, trust, honor, achievement — all these and a never-ending love and life together.
Ask any starry-eyed newly-wedded couple how long they want their marriage to last, and the answer will come easily: “Forever!”
Forever? Do they really mean forever? Not to end in divorce court as thousands of American marriages now do? Marriage till death? Yes, that long and longer — for even then separation forever would be tragedy.
Theirs is the hope of eternal living and learning and loving together — an ideal — an eternal “togetherness” of parents and children in the old hallowed patriarchal pattern, consecrated and enriched by the blessings of a loving and eternal Father in Heaven so long as love and faith and fidelity shall endure.
There you have it: the long and the short of marriage. Which will you choose?
BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF
Copyright 1957, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah
Comments
Debbie Gamble
I think I want my marriage to last at least until the mortgage is paid off. Which…might take forever.
chronicler
We decided we’d stay together until the kids were raised as neither of us wanted to do it alone. Then by the time they were all married off, we decided it had to be forever as we were both so out of shape we’d never find anyone else to care about us. Yep. That’s it eternal marriage in a nutshell! Well, and the fact that we are pretty good friends now that the divide and conquer people (children) have moved along to start their own version of same.
Kate
I wish I’d HAD a choice. Or, rather, that my choice had mattered in the face of the completely opposite conviction.