Wedlock~~Jokes, Confusion, Pain And Happiness

Wedlock~~the union between two people that unites them in a life long quest for mutual happiness. At least that is what is supposed to happen, lol. I have been married three times. The first ended in a mutual split up of two people that were way to young to get married. The second ended because there have been times in my life that I was am immature ass and proved it. The third was full of mutual and individual mistakes that eventually took there toll. Through each and every one of them there were good and bad times, fun and sad times, love and hate but I would not wish them not to be as my four children are proof of happier times and I love then dearly.

I saw this picture and my thoughts were that this newly minted married couple are looking out over this pastoral scene and contemplating their future together. If they were to turn around they would see a demonstration of their sex lives in 20 years; the male in search of his own satisfaction and the female wondering how long he will take so she can get back to the laundry.

The term 'wedlock' has been around for centuries and literally means the locking of two lives together for their mutual benefit of both. Unfortunately as time went by marriage has lost its overall impact on our lives giving way to cohabitation, raising children without parental commitment to marriage and single parent families(both male and female) in lieu of tradition.

"Marriage is a great institution, but I’m not ready for an institution yet.” ~~Mae West. How many of us have felt this way? Especially on the morning of our intended nuptials. The morning of my third wedding I was alone in my apartment, having been abandoned by my best man and groomsmen so they could dress, and thinking about what I was about to do and the last bit of instructions my bride to be had given me, "make sure you eat something before the ceremony".

I admit to having second thoughts. I think many people do early on the day of the ceremony. But I overcame my fear and moved onto breakfast before I dressed. My refrigerator held little and I settled on a banana and a beer to get my day started. That breakfast lasted me 22 years and I now sit here writing this having been single for five years. I still repeat that breakfast each year. AHH! Traditions!!

“The horror of wedlock, the most appalling, the most loathsome of all the bonds humankind has devised for its own discomfort and degradation.”~~Marquis De Sade

Obviously the Marquis' view of marriage was bit skewed by the fact that he was a raving lunatic but I am sure many men and even more women can relate to his ideas.

Wedlock has been the fodder of comedians for eons and rightly so. Like every thing, in our lives, that presents with a modicum of truth jokes about marriage fall in the range of the funniest of tales. Some examples from people we all know and love;

“I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. They’ve experienced pain and bought jewelry.” ~ Rita Rudner

“A man doesn’t know what happiness is until he’s married. By then it’s too late.” ~ Frank Sinatra

“I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.” ~ Groucho Marx

“I haven’t spoken to my wife in years. I didn’t want to interrupt her.” ~Rodney Dangerfield

And finally from that famous and well loved person Anonymous~~“Getting married is very much like going to a restaurant with friends. You order what you want, then when you see what the other fellow has, you wish you had ordered that.” ~ Anonymous

What wedlock/marriage should give you is a sense of love, safety, companionship, oneness in another person, joy at the site of the other, happiness in simple conversation, an ear that you can tell anything, a soul mate, a lover, your best friend, a person that confides in you and someone to share your triumphs and failures.

It's funny, I have that in Second Life but I so sucked at it in real life.

Randy