What does marriage mean to you?

If you are religious it is sacred in the reproduction system, ya don't want to go to hell just for having a couple kids! Other than that Tax deductions. You get $10,000 deduction just for being married. As far as the marraige actually keeping a couple together, FALSE. Keeping a couple faithful, FALSE. Oh yeah and if you think your kids will be better loved, or cared for, just becouse your married, that one is FALSE too. Marraige only means what the couple wants it to mean. If you can't count on the relationship to last for ever, marraige will not help. It will only make it harder and more expensive when you split.

Marriage - is a legal (government) term for a long-term relationship. If I had married my husband with no officiate, no witnesses - basically with no "proof" of our marriage - in a grove of trees, next to a serene lake and, with only nature and God watching, we vowed to spend our lives together with only each other and our children, would we be married? We would see ourselves as married - but the rest of the world (government) would not - all because there was no "legal" proof that it ever happened. So are you only "married" if you make it legal? What makes a "legal" marriage any better than the marriage I described above? My husband and I lived together for several years and had all our children before we decided to get married. We knew we wanted to be together, knew we wanted to share our lives together and keep our family together - we honestly didn't feel marriage was something we had to do. **And in all honesty, if you feel you Have to get married, then you really have no business being married. Because marriage requires a completely committed couple - commitment to each other as well as to the marraige and all it entails - it needs to be something you Want to do. The more you want it, the more willing you are to work hard at it and make it work. When you feel other people (well meaning friends and family and even strangers) pushing you to get married, and you think you Have to do it, that's when your marriage will fail.** My husband and I knew we loved each other and wanted to be together. We took our time in waiting to get married because it is a very big step. No one pushed us, no one tried to stop us. We were left to decide on our own. And when we did make the decision, we knew it meant we'd be working on our marriage for the rest of our lives. Yes, it's true - if you are just living together and not married, it is much easier to just up and walk away (legally speaking as there are no legal ties) BUT, the emotions are still there. The family that was created is still devastated when it falls apart. Marriage doesn't make it any easier or any harder on that family. It's still a devastating blow when that relationship falls apart. Make sure you are in a marriage for the right reasons Before you marry. My husband and I knew we wanted only each other, knew we wanted to keep our family together no matter what, so we knew we wanted a marriage. We also knew we were already in one of our own making - we just took it that extra step and made it legal in the eyes of the government.

it means life.. one who is always there for you in pain in sorrow and in happiness

I see marriage as a commitment and a promise. Meaning I would never walk away from my husband no matter how bad it gets. I also see it as I will be with only him for the rest of my life. A couple that just lives together and has kids--leaves the door open for one of them to leave any time. I couldn't stand that kind of uncertainty.

Marriage - is a legal (government) term for a long-term relationship. If I had married my husband with no officiate, no witnesses - basically with no "proof" of our marriage - in a grove of trees, next to a serene lake and, with only nature and God watching, we vowed to spend our lives together with only each other and our children, would we be married? We would see ourselves as married - but the rest of the world (government) would not - all because there was no "legal" proof that it ever happened. So are you only "married" if you make it legal? What makes a "legal" marriage any better than the marriage I described above? My husband and I lived together for several years and had all our children before we decided to get married. We knew we wanted to be together, knew we wanted to share our lives together and keep our family together - we honestly didn't feel marriage was something we had to do. **And in all honesty, if you feel you Have to get married, then you really have no business being married. Because marriage requires a completely committed couple - commitment to each other as well as to the marraige and all it entails - it needs to be something you Want to do. The more you want it, the more willing you are to work hard at it and make it work. When you feel other people (well meaning friends and family and even strangers) pushing you to get married, and you think you Have to do it, that's when your marriage will fail.** My husband and I knew we loved each other and wanted to be together. We took our time in waiting to get married because it is a very big step. No one pushed us, no one tried to stop us. We were left to decide on our own. And when we did make the decision, we knew it meant we'd be working on our marriage for the rest of our lives. Yes, it's true - if you are just living together and not married, it is much easier to just up and walk away (legally speaking as there are no legal ties) BUT, the emotions are still there. The family that was created is still devastated when it falls apart. Marriage doesn't make it any easier or any harder on that family. It's still a devastating blow when that relationship falls apart. Make sure you are in a marriage for the right reasons Before you marry. My husband and I knew we wanted only each other, knew we wanted to keep our family together no matter what, so we knew we wanted a marriage. We also knew we were already in one of our own making - we just took it that extra step and made it legal in the eyes of the government.