YES! It IS different. My husband and I dated for 3 years before getting married. Every night we’d say goodnight and go to our respective homes. When we got married, we were still living in separate places (LONG story), and, the first night we had to say goodnight and go to our respective homes…we almost couldn’t do it. I remember crying my heart out that night. We had figured, how different could it be? That’s why I get so upset when people say that marriage is “just a piece of paper”. It’s NOT.
When my parents were married, they were both still living at home with their parents and were secretly married in a town far away from their homes. Their homes were in Dodge City and Scott City, Kansas and they were married in Goodland, Kansas. They figured that, since they were married in a different county, it would take a while before friends and family learned that they were married. Unfortunately, my Dads father had subscribed to the newspaper which was published in Goodland, Kansas and, when the Goodland newspaper landed in my grandfather’s hands, he immediately read the marriage notice and their secret was out long before they had intended. In those days, of course, very few people would have considered living together before marriage. It was more likely that people would marry and then not begin living together until they could afford a home together. In those days, prior to the outbreak of World War II, many farmers were still using horses for farm work. My Dad had applied for a homestead in Nebraska and, when the homestead application was approved, my grandfather and my uncles, all of whom were younger than my Dad, rounded up a bull and a bunch of cattle and, on horseback, they trail-drove the cattle from their home in Dodge City to the new homestead in Nebraska, to give my folks a start on their own herd. My grandmother, who had raised 10 children alone during the Depression, hitched her wagon up to her two favorite horses, put some of her prize roosters, hens, Tom and hen turkeys and some pigs in crates on her wagon and drove from her home in Garden City to the homestead in Nebraska. Both families brought enough lumber to put up a barn for the cattle and pigs and a chicken coop for the turkeys and chickens. With even the little kids working, they put up the barn and chicken coop in one day. My folks stayed in an apartment in Broken Bow for about three months while they put the finishing touches on a house. They had been married 65 years when my father passed away. When I was married, very few people became involved in premarital relationships and even fewer became involved in openly cohabiting with romantic partners without being married. It was only several years later that the Government census began to ask questions about “persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters” and there were quite a few humorous newspaper articles written about the “sudden” appearance of the POOSSLQ. My husband and I celebrated 52 years together before he passed away unexpectedly. I don’t think we even knew anyone who had lived together before marriage. None of our children ever entertained the idea of cohabiting with a POOSSLQ prior to marriage, and all of them are enjoying lengthy, stable marriages. As the title of the strip says – it is “for Better or for Worse” – but being together usually makes it easier to deal with even the worst circumstances which can arise.
Marriage is for the begetting of children(to show lineage and determine who is financially responsable) and/or for the consolidation of wealth. If you aren’t intending children or have trust funds to intertwine, Why?
Templo S.U.D. over 8 years ago
Oooh, the dreaded “M” word.
krys723 over 8 years ago
Ohhh the M word
Can't Sleep over 8 years ago
If you can survive living together, you can survive being married.(Been there, done that, have the marriage license.)
Wren Fahel over 8 years ago
YES! It IS different. My husband and I dated for 3 years before getting married. Every night we’d say goodnight and go to our respective homes. When we got married, we were still living in separate places (LONG story), and, the first night we had to say goodnight and go to our respective homes…we almost couldn’t do it. I remember crying my heart out that night. We had figured, how different could it be? That’s why I get so upset when people say that marriage is “just a piece of paper”. It’s NOT.
sbwertz over 8 years ago
53 years married after a 3 month courtship!
dwdl21 over 8 years ago
NO!
AnonaMoaner over 8 years ago
A couple I knew were together for 25 years before they got married. A year later, they were living in different continents.
Deezlebird over 8 years ago
I know a couple who lived together for 6 years, got married, and were divorced within a year.
drivingfuriously Premium Member over 8 years ago
The first night we were married, my wife rolled over and found me instead of her cat. A very difficult new feeling.
LoisG Premium Member over 8 years ago
When my parents were married, they were both still living at home with their parents and were secretly married in a town far away from their homes. Their homes were in Dodge City and Scott City, Kansas and they were married in Goodland, Kansas. They figured that, since they were married in a different county, it would take a while before friends and family learned that they were married. Unfortunately, my Dads father had subscribed to the newspaper which was published in Goodland, Kansas and, when the Goodland newspaper landed in my grandfather’s hands, he immediately read the marriage notice and their secret was out long before they had intended. In those days, of course, very few people would have considered living together before marriage. It was more likely that people would marry and then not begin living together until they could afford a home together. In those days, prior to the outbreak of World War II, many farmers were still using horses for farm work. My Dad had applied for a homestead in Nebraska and, when the homestead application was approved, my grandfather and my uncles, all of whom were younger than my Dad, rounded up a bull and a bunch of cattle and, on horseback, they trail-drove the cattle from their home in Dodge City to the new homestead in Nebraska, to give my folks a start on their own herd. My grandmother, who had raised 10 children alone during the Depression, hitched her wagon up to her two favorite horses, put some of her prize roosters, hens, Tom and hen turkeys and some pigs in crates on her wagon and drove from her home in Garden City to the homestead in Nebraska. Both families brought enough lumber to put up a barn for the cattle and pigs and a chicken coop for the turkeys and chickens. With even the little kids working, they put up the barn and chicken coop in one day. My folks stayed in an apartment in Broken Bow for about three months while they put the finishing touches on a house. They had been married 65 years when my father passed away. When I was married, very few people became involved in premarital relationships and even fewer became involved in openly cohabiting with romantic partners without being married. It was only several years later that the Government census began to ask questions about “persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters” and there were quite a few humorous newspaper articles written about the “sudden” appearance of the POOSSLQ. My husband and I celebrated 52 years together before he passed away unexpectedly. I don’t think we even knew anyone who had lived together before marriage. None of our children ever entertained the idea of cohabiting with a POOSSLQ prior to marriage, and all of them are enjoying lengthy, stable marriages. As the title of the strip says – it is “for Better or for Worse” – but being together usually makes it easier to deal with even the worst circumstances which can arise.
rabbit2502 over 8 years ago
36 years we’ve lived together for 36 years and we’re still not married. Likely never will either. ( She doesn’t want to).
route66paul over 8 years ago
Marriage is for the begetting of children(to show lineage and determine who is financially responsable) and/or for the consolidation of wealth. If you aren’t intending children or have trust funds to intertwine, Why?
Barnabus Blackoak over 8 years ago
geo ? male of female?