Happy and Staying Married

My parents are celebrating their 30th anniversary this weekend and with the number of couples getting divorces, I am very proud of them. Staying married for that long is really tough. I wonder if my husband and I will be blessed to stay married for the longest time for there are times when we fight, I entertain the thoughts of packing my bags and file for a divorce. So silly of me!

For three decades of marriage, I have witnessed my parents fight and endure troubles that almost led to a divorce. From petty disagreements to my mom being so depressed that she stayed in their room all day- I have seen them all.

But they have decided to stay married and have our family solid. I admire my mother for having her home and family intact by accepting and forgiving my father who had sinned against her in the past. And I admire my father, for humbling himself and admitting his mistakes as a father and as a husband. I admire them both as partners and as parents for being true to the vows they exchanged 3o years ago.

My parents are my role-models when it comes to my own marriage especially my mother as a wife. I follow her trick of cooking my dad's favorite food when my dad is upset with her. And I avoid nagging my husband when he comes home late at night and tired from work.

From tabloids to daily encounters, we have heard, witnessed and even experienced divorces and it can happen to any couple. From a couple of 6 months to even decades of marriages ---marriages are still prone to divorces.

Enduring Commitment

Marriage they say is all about commitment and love is not always the case. Of course, you have to love your spouse but to have that deep commitment to be with that person no matter what  will happen is the strongest consideration before getting and staying married. The desire to stay committed also comes from different issues like children; many couples try to stay married for the sake of children but there are some who wish to save their children from hurt or abuse, end their marriages.

Irreconcilable Differences

Couples are different individuals and arguments and quarrels are often due to these differences. It is not surprising why people filing for a divorce often use "irreconcilable differences" as the cause of the break up. But there is this thought of how long can a couple reconcile their differences? What differences are irreconcilable?

Everyday, I accept how my husband is totally different from me - from the toilet seat to how he talks to our son. And the feeling is mutual - he succumbed to my weaknesses nagging him of being a workaholic instead of appreciating his efforts to give us the most comfortable life possible .

I am not against divorce nor in favor of it. What I believe in is having a harmonious relationship with our partners. But when we said our vows, we wish to have a happy ending and looking forward to grow old with that person.