Why I still Believe in Marriage 

I remember being totally down on marriage after my divorce. Enough time has gone by and that has since changed. Reading people's fears about marriage reminds me of how I felt. Like it was an institution in which I never wanted to be institutionalized again. Mostly because I never wanted to go through the heart break of seeing the future I had planned go down the drain. One thing that really helped me get past that and see that marriage could be a wonderful thing was thinking about the people I know that are happily married.

I don't need to look very far as my parents celebrate their 51st anniversary and are as in love as newly weds. As they do most years, they go back to New York and recreate their honey moon trip when they were young and broke. Only now they do it in style. And there is my middle brother who is with a woman that is such a part of the family she could be our sibling. They are as close as two people can be. They have been through some rough times financially and with their kids, but they stay true and committed to each other. My friend Linda who is with a guy she met online. He went through severe clinical depression after they were married. She helped him through it and never waivered in her love for him. Their son was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder a few years ago. They are there for each other, working together to help him thrive and their boy is doing great.

My friend Suzanne with a husband that, unlike mine, was there for her when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and she is doing great now. My friend Joel's mom who lost her husband David 2 years ago and still talks about him all the time. He was the love of her life. She was diagnosed with stomach cancer recently and said that she is not scared because she believes that she will be reunited with David when she dies and she can hardly wait to see him.

When I think about all of these people and their relationships, I realize that it is more than possible for a marriage to be not just good, but great. It makes me hopeful and optimistic about the whole institution! And it makes me want to be a part of it again someday.