The Gift of Family

In modern society, the institution of marriage has been and continues to be, under attack.

What was once a sacred and holy joining of man and wife has become something people dabble in and abandon when the going gets tough. Perhaps vows should be changed from "For better or worse, until death do us part" to "until things get hard or I don't like your face anymore."

Such a holy union has become a cheapened commodity, almost like purchasing a car.

Don't like the way the transmission is acting up? Don't fix it, trade it in and get a new one!

That new car swerving on the road because the tires are old? Don't get new tires and an alignment, get a brand new car!

This is a microcosm of a much larger trend. It extends not only to marriage, but to life in general.

A century ago, people built things to last, and didn't abandon objects or spouses simply because they wanted something brand new. Why throw the baby out with the bathwater?

They were practical. If something is broke, fix it.

That mentality has changed in our throw away society.

According to the Pew Research Center, among U.S. adults ages 50 and older, the divorce rate has about doubled since the 1990s. For those under 50, the rates are even worse, about twice as as much.

Sure, there are legitimate reasons why a person can and should seek a divorce. Other reasons such as petty arguments over money or how to raise kids are not among them.

This is why I am excited to see old married folks still together after 50+ years. Despite all the odds, they kept their vows. They made it through the pitfalls of life together. Their love and commitment should be celebrated and aspired to by us younger folk.

Yet, divorce seems to be omnipresent. It is everywhere, so common it is not even shocking anymore.

That is to be lamented.

One can gauge the health of a society by the health of its families. With so many broken homes, our society is in great danger. Statistics have shown kids from broken homes are exceedingly less likely to do well in school or college, and may have marital strife themselves, leading to a continuation of the cycle.

How does society break that cycle?

By honoring and cherishing the spouse you are with.

Sure, there will always be temptations to go out and buy a new car, but wouldn't it be better to fix the one you have already? I bet it has a lifetime of mileage left to give. So what if it is dinged up and the engine knocks a little bit? That car was built just for you.

So, married couples, please take a moment at the dawn of this New Year to pause and consider your partner and all the good times, and bad, you have weathered with them. All these circumstances, hopefully, have brought you closer together on this journey of life. Celebrate that you have made it this far, and understand that person, and the kids the two of you may have been blessed with, are worth fighting for, even when the going gets tough.

Never surrender the gift of family.