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How Marriage Benefits You
Indeed, many marriages are stable as a rock and only end with the demise of one of the partners. Truly, the social institution of marriage is one of the greatest inventions of man.
Marriage is about as old as human civilisation. Why has it endured so long and in every country of the world? There are many reasons for this. The main one is that we humans are social creatures. Also, all of us are vulnerable by nature. We have the faculty of thinking, reflecting and judging. We have our own moods. Sometimes we are happy and full of enthusiasm. Other times, we are depressed and even suicidal.
Because of our emotional build-up, we have a need to reach out to others and form an enduring bond. We seek psychological support and nourishment from others through an intimate relationship with an individual of the opposite gender. Marriage fulfils this primeval urge that all of us have, and hence its popularity and success over the millennia.
Marriage has a great therapeutic effect. It strengthens us emotionally and makes us happier and at peace with ourselves. That is why a recent research has revealed that married partners live longer and have significantly less health and emotional problems throughout their lives. There is no substitute for the emotional sustenance and inner contentment that marriage offers us and no other relationship such as live-in arrangement and close friendship comes even close to it.
Unlike other relationships that are single-dimensional, marriage has many facets.
Personal Relationship
At a personal level, marriage ensures a very close bond with an individual of opposite gender. You set up a home of your own and pool your financial resources to buy assets to make your life comfortable and increase your living standard.
In a good marriage, the partners do not keep secrets from each other. Instead, they share everything and offer their life as an open book to the other. They sleep together on the same bed and have regular intimacy. Thus, marriage brings the two partners very close emotionally as well as physically.
Extension of Social Circle
Marriage extends one’s social circle. This is because you are not merely marrying an individual but actually establishing relations with an entire family. Your spouse would be having his or her own friends, sisters, brothers, cousins, parents, office colleagues and other relatives. When you get married, you establish a relation and friendship with them too, thus vastly extending your social circle. You are invited to their homes for various social and family functions and you, in turn, invite them over.
Financial Security
Marriage provides financial security to the partners. If both of them are earning, their income as well as purchasing power instantly doubles. They can now afford to buy many assets such as car and house mortgage that they couldn’t earlier, not to mention pursue many leisure activities.
The partners can save more and plan a good future for their children. Life becomes financially more comfortable than it would have been if they were living alone. For women, particularly, marriage is a great source of financial support as it is their husbands’ responsibility to do a job and bring home the bacon while they take care of the home.
Children
Marriage is an ideal arrangement to have and rear children. The family home is a secure and comfortable place where the kids can grow up and develop in an emotionally healthy way. They get the affection and tenderness of the mother and the guidance, protection and discipline of the father.
In the absence of marriage, single mothers or fathers can only offer a lopsided upbringing for their children due to the missing parent. It has been seen that children from married families are happier and more successful in life than those from divorced families.
Legal and Social Recognition
Unlike live-in relationships, marriage is something that is recognised by the law of the land. The relationship is protected legally and cannot be dissolved without following due process. Both the partners have well-defined rights and duties. This protection is extended to the children too who rightfully get to inherit their parental property. Marriage is also recognised by the society and married people command a respect that is denied to casual flings or live-in partners.
Religious Beliefs
Marriage is your ticket to guilt-free intimacy. There are many religious-minded people who consider it a sin to enjoy intimate relations with another individual without first marrying him or her. Marriage allows you to lead a physically active life with your partner without offending your moral conscience. Many religious beliefs also recommend marriage and having children to devotees to lead a fulfilling life.
