MARRIAGE
Marriage is not common to animal race, but only
exhibited by humans. It has to be differentiated from
a)
Courtship Affairs – where male and female interact and enjoy interactions- conversations,
flirting, dating and meeting. May not culminate in sex.
b)
Physical & Sexual Relation – Where there is physical intimacy for mutual gratification
of desires. May have no relationship with love.
c)
Love Relationship – where male and female cannot seem to do without one another and
get obsessed with each others company. Does not imply that marriage will better the relation.
d)
Marriage – where for social reasons and for making permanence, the couple engage
in irreversible ‘legal’ relationship which cannot be terminated
by ones will and consent but only by verdict of the law. Does not imply that the couple will be ideal life partners.
e)
Life Partnership - where the couple live together as each others partners voluntarily and
coexist to mutual benefit.
We must never mistake any of this stages for what
it is not. And not infer that one stage must necessarily lead to another. Many people get married because they feel a) I may
not get someone better b) My girlfriend will get attracted to another if I don’t hook her c) Family pressures.
