Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Four Marriage Questions
Ricochet ^ | April 3, 2021 | Mark Alexander

Posted on 04/05/2021 3:27:40 PM PDT by CheshireTheCat

For the young ones… and the mature, as needs be…

Many people marry for the wrong reasons and end up single, often with obligations, and holding a cynical view of love and relationships. But a short, simple test can help guide you toward what a successful marriage may look like.

If you and your potential spouse can both answer “yes” to most or all four of these questions, then you may end up with a great marriage. Of course, there are no guarantees. Life always has a way of surprising us.

Ask yourself each question. Can you say yes to each?

1) If this person stays just as he or she is for the rest of his or her life, would that be OK?

2) Would you like to become more like this person?

3) If you were to have a child with someone, would you want to have a child with this person?

4) If the child grew up to be exactly like this person, would that be OK?

I once got a call from my wife. She was at the home of a friend whose daughter was going to be married in one week to her high school sweetheart. She was visiting her mother, crying and upset, unsure whether the marriage was a good idea....

(Excerpt) Read more at ricochet.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: coldfeet; dontmarryacriminal; dontmarryademocrat; dontmarryanaddict
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-78 next last
To: CheshireTheCat
Meanwhile in my socio/religious society we have this:

Jewish_Mom_Wedding_Invite

21 posted on 04/05/2021 3:56:01 PM PDT by SkyDancer (To Most People The Sky's The Limit ~ To A Pilot, It is Home)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DannyTN
+1


22 posted on 04/05/2021 3:56:13 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change with out notice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Night Hides Not

I do not disagree with that statement.


23 posted on 04/05/2021 3:56:53 PM PDT by Qiviut (2020 Election steal result: We are beginning our "40 years of wandering in the Wilderness".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Qiviut

GMTA...lol


24 posted on 04/05/2021 3:58:05 PM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: CheshireTheCat

It will be 61 years this coming Friday that wife & I got married...
The priest asked a couple of questions... We both answered yes...

We did not have the nine (9) kids we planned on... (Wife had 9 brothers and sisters...)
However three was fun and, now, lots & lots of grandchildren and great grandchildren...
Also, importantly, they are all “deplorable” and fully prepared..😀


25 posted on 04/05/2021 3:58:36 PM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is another Samuel Adams now that we desperately need him?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CheshireTheCat
We have our 50th next year.

I'd say don't overthink it. If you try to think through everything that is involved in a long life together and a family, the ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies, it could seem very daunting to young people.

26 posted on 04/05/2021 3:59:24 PM PDT by colorado tanker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KevinB

Oh! Important question.

Does your son know about the things that worry you?

If so, you could ignore it, but I would say to my child, “You know that I’m concerned about XYZ. Have you given any thought to that?”

If he doesn’t know, and it’s serious, maybe you should take the plunge and tell him. He might be glad you did.


27 posted on 04/05/2021 4:00:30 PM PDT by proud American in Canada (As Patrick Henry once said, "Give me Liberty or Give me Death!" Especso ially now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: grey_whiskers

Shouldn’t the fun zone box and wife zone box be switched in that the eventual wife won’t be as objectively hot as the fun and a bit crazier types?

Or are you saying that the wife prospect will start to seem hotter when one appreciates her more than the fun prospects who might be better-looking?


28 posted on 04/05/2021 4:01:12 PM PDT by CheshireTheCat ("Forgetting pain is convenient.Remembering it agonizing.But recovering truth is worth the suffering")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Dilbert San Diego
"Premarital counseling before marriage, discussing all of this, would help many couples decide if they really should get married."

Not when they are still in limerence.

Generations that did not go through this psychobabble stuff sustained higher rates of matrimony (Only once to a lifetime partner as well). There is a spiritual/commit or die component to marriage, it's not a Disney movie/royal ceremony that involves happily ever after wrapped up in a counseling buffer that only offers impotent ad hoc platitudes to couples, again, in limereance.
29 posted on 04/05/2021 4:01:12 PM PDT by rollo tomasi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: proud American in Canada
Thank you for your advice.

I'm very glad you were able to work through your prior troubles.

He's 28. He's just started a new job that could be a career launcher rather than the mundane jobs he's had previously. He understands that. I'm thinking the best approach might be to suggest to him that he wait a while to get married so he has the freedom to get settled in the new job/career. Then the hope would be that he either runs into trouble with the current girlfriend (they already broke up once about a year ago) or meets somebody new in the interim. That could be a legitimate way to keep it from being personal regarding the girlfriend.

30 posted on 04/05/2021 4:03:20 PM PDT by KevinB (''... and to the Banana Republic for which it stands ...")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Night Hides Not
We moved 600 miles so my wife could "spread her wings". Within a few years, 3 of her sisters moved near us. For a time, two were living just a couple of blocks away from us.

That's so funny because it's true!

I've relocated out of state twice now for work and somehow the mother-in-law always ends up in our neighborhood eventually! It's uncanny how that works.

Now overall our marriage has been very good but beware of the "helpful grandma" syndrome. If she is single, she will always want to be near her daughter and grandkids just to "help out". I'm convinced that my MIL will outlive the both of us. She'll definitely outlive me anyhow.

31 posted on 04/05/2021 4:06:40 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (By stealing Trump's second term, the Left gets Trump for 8 more years instead of just four.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: CheshireTheCat

Wife Goggles are real.


32 posted on 04/05/2021 4:07:53 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change with out notice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: G Larry

Another key point. Is your future marriage partner a DemocRAT?


33 posted on 04/05/2021 4:13:42 PM PDT by wjcsux (RIP Rush Limbaugh 12 Jan 1951- 17 Feb 2021. We really miss you. 😢)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: proud American in Canada
If so, you could ignore it, but I would say to my child, “You know that I’m concerned about XYZ. Have you given any thought to that?”

The one thing I will divulge is that she has anxiety issues. They broke up over this a while back. I was pleased when that happened. When he told me last year that they were together again I asked what had changed. He told me that she's now on anxiety medication. Yikes! I told him that I like her very much personally, but it's not a good idea to get permanently involved with someone you already know has psychological issues. That didn't seem to have any impact. She's very pretty and I'm sure the sex is great for him. He's also at that age where many of his friends are getting married so there's pressure there.

34 posted on 04/05/2021 4:16:15 PM PDT by KevinB (''... and to the Banana Republic for which it stands ...")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: KevinB

Never stuck your duck in crazy.


35 posted on 04/05/2021 4:19:37 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change with out notice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: CheshireTheCat

1) If this person stays just as he or she is for the rest of his or her life, would that be OK?

Men always hope their wife never changes and women always hope to change their man.


36 posted on 04/05/2021 4:24:17 PM PDT by tired&retired (Blessings )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CheshireTheCat
Modern day marriage:



Verses


37 posted on 04/05/2021 4:26:22 PM PDT by rollo tomasi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KevinB
Though I like her personally, for various reasons that I won't go into I think he should not marry her. I'm struggling with whether and, if so, how to have a conversation with him about this.

I would want more details about both parties before making a suggestion, but a third party kibitzing can easily be blamed for difficulties and conflicts.
38 posted on 04/05/2021 4:39:55 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Qiviut

No kidding. Do NOT marry a fixer-upper. The only person you can change is yourself.

I think a lot of women confuse “helping” with “changing” so here’s the quick test. It’s “helping” when you are assisting him in meeting his goals at his request. It’s “changing” when when you are trying to get him to meet your goals through various emotional manipulations.


39 posted on 04/05/2021 4:40:14 PM PDT by Valpal1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: CheshireTheCat

The part I like is that the bride the writer referenced was told by her parents not to think about the sunk cost of the wedding. If she didn’t want to marry the guy, don’t.

My late father told me the night before my wedding, “If you decide you don’t want to marry him, don’t. We’ll have the party anyway!” He was a great man.

I married him. 32 years and ten children, it’s been pretty okay.


40 posted on 04/05/2021 4:45:02 PM PDT by Tax-chick ("Scarcity is real, and reality is not optional." ~ KDW)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-78 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson