we are taught that marriage is a reasonable and functional approach to life. but i think it's a tradition that has gone on past its practical use. women do not need someone to defend and protect them, to house and financially support them. the only possible reason to marry is to raise children, and even then the whole "forever" thing is just plain silly. you meet someone. you fall in love. the love is real. let's say you get married. now if you are really LIVING life, not just going thru the motions of getting up and going to work and trying to accumulate STUFF that makes your life seem "successful...." if you are really out there living, then you are going to be learning, growing and changing all the time. what are the odds that he is going to learn and grow and change WITH you? marriage tells us to "grow along the same path." but imagine how much more narrow your path must become in order to accommodate that. so you have to greatly limit your willingness to learn, grow and change in order to protect the marriage. but that sacrifice of personal growth, in and of itself, weakens the partnership because partnership is no more than what the two partners can bring to it.
i..ve had two faithful marriages. but faithfulness doesn..t fix the other isssues!LOL i don't see myself ever getting married again. but i love easily, am very capable of commitment and would certainly live with someone... as long as the partnership is benefiting the personal growth of both of us, rather than limiting anyone.