It’s no secret that millennials have been a significant factor in the national decrease in marriage rates. While millennials have often taken the economic downturn hardest in addition to growing up in an era fraught with divorce – it has left most wondering if marriage will ever be a reality. There is a host of reasons that millennials do not view marriage as a benefit in their daily lives. Now, even more so during the coronavirus pandemic.
With that said, the millennial population is going to have to figure out if love WILL outweigh the obstacles encountered during a lifelong relationship. I use the term “will” in place of “can” because, as a happily married woman of 23 years, I’ve seen that it indeed can. The question is, will you allow it to fulfill its will? After all, no relationship – be it short or long – is untouched by challenges that occur during one’s life. Whether it is health, career, family, or finances, to name a few – both positive and negative changes impact us all at one time or another.
It is essential to understand that the union of marriage is not just a commitment to the person you have vowed to love. At its core, it is a commitment to yourself to love entirely without fear, without judgment, without limits, to be a part of something that is ultimately bigger than oneself and can be incredibly rewarding.
If there is anything we should have learned through this pandemic, it is that tomorrow is not promised to anyone. If you have a deserving and willing partner but have been hesitant, I encourage you to take that deeper dive. The power of the pair, the couple, the marital union can only be experienced when you are all in -100% – the more committed the relationship, the more profound the joy in your successes and the stronger the resolve when disappointment occurs. Having that person, that special someone who always has your back, for better or for worse, enhances your life in ways that can only be experienced when you are all in it for LOVE.