why marry or what is the secrete that holds a successful marriage

The other day some one asked this question and I think it's worthwhile to touch on this subject a bit.
Having seen so many marriages (literally, I witnessed many weddings), here is my 2 cents on this $25,000 question.

First, I want to distinguish physical attraction from the kind of emotion that leads people into marriage. Because they may happen to the same person, but one does not necessarily result in the other. A full moon in mid-summer night is enough for some physical attraction, but not quite there for a marriage proposal.

Secondly I believe marriage is an institution for children. Marriage is for the children, period. In essence, children are the ultimate goal of creating this thing called marriage. It holds true through out the entire history of human kind. 100 years from now, your children are the only evidence left on earth that you have existed.

So what if a couple don't (can't) have children? There are couples that manage to hold together without a child. I would put that kind of marriage in the 2nd category called "synergy". This is when the two parties share the same career goal, and the union of one plus one becomes larger than two. In that case, they become partners in life and WORK. And their mutual career essentially replace the position of their unborn child.

Any other relationship is bound to fail, sooner or later. Some of them manage to hold the outer shape intact, but they are like a journey without a soul, which is getting nowhere. Sorry, if I happen to have broken this piece of harsh truth to some of the folks who happen to fall into this category.


Well, that's all I know about marriage, so far.