The Changing Face of Marriage

Since I went a Catholic pre school at the age of three, it is hard for me to remember if I first learned about God and Catholicism through my parents or my school. I was baptized as a baby as raised Catholic, but I don't recall ever talking to my parents about the importance of religion or God. They are both practicing Catholics, but they may have thought I would be too young to understand before I went to pre school. The episode that we watched of Parenthood gave many different views of family. It showed two unmarried parents with a son, a family who unsuccessfully wants to adopt, a single mom, and a married man who has a child with disabilities and is having trouble supporting his family. All of these different scenarios can definitely present challenges, and it seems that the challenges of not receiving a baby or financial troubles can be better dealt with when you have someone else along for the ride with you. I plan on graduating college and graduate school way before I establish a family, but if the study is correct, I hope my education will aid my marriage. I definitely am going to raise my kids Catholic, because God is an important part of my life now. I want my husband and I to set a good example for my kids, and I think that establishing a domestic church can be the first step in the right direction.

Dating and Marriage

I think that people look for a significant other for many reasons. People seek out companionship, friendship, and love. A spouse is somebody you can go to for anything no matter what, knowing they will be there for you. I think the initial search for a spouse is self-fulfillment, but after you finally find that special person, you sacrifice things for them, because their happiness is of the utmost importance. In my future husband, I hope to find somebody to love unconditionally, but also somebody who will be my best friend. I need to be able to be myself without any inhibitions, and know that I will be loved for everything that I truly am. I think these reflect both modern and Christian values, because people want to love and be loved, and Christians believe in complete commitment and fidelity.

Dating: What's the Point?

I disagree with the statement that dating is just practice for divorce. Though the divorce rate is going up, everyone who has a healthy relationship began with dating each other before they were married. Obviously the times have changed and people have become a lot more casual when it comes to hook ups, especially in the experimental years of high school and college. This is not a good thing, but I don't think it is influencing divorces. I think that things such as rushing into a relationship, infidelity, and distrust are bigger factors of divorce than having wild teenage years. My peers and I are all very different. Some have boyfriends and some do not even talk about boys. I don't think there is really a norm, because every person is different. Overall, I by no means think that dating is a waste of time because without dating you cannot meet the person you are meant to be with.

Some Say Love...

The qualities and characteristics of love that i hope to experience in my future relationships are just being really passionate about one another and devoted. I want to be able to be myself around my spouse and not have to try to look good all the time. The song "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction is about how the boy is infatuated with this girl who is shy and doesn't know how great she is, even though she is plain. I think that is nice because it shows that you don't have to be a supermodel to get noticed. Also the song "Fine By Me" by Andy Grammer is about a man who loves his girlfriend and wants to spend all his time with her. This cute kind of love is very appealing. Love songs, though they can be sappy, are good portrayals of love because they can be relatable and are pleasurable to listen to. "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5 is about a man who is always there for a girl who is always being broken hearted, but no matter how many times she strays away from him to be let down, he is always there for her. That kind of love seems agapic because the man is willing to help the girl no matter how many times she remakes the same mistakes. I think that the article about the quest for a soulmate is valid because I agree that people work so hard to find their "soulmate" that they lose sight of finding someone that will be their best friend, too, and then end up fighting for their marriage way earlier than expected. The song "Slow Dancing In a Burning Room" by John Mayer relates to this, because it is about a couple that was once completely infatuated with each other, but over time their love died and they have to accept the fact that their relationship does not have hope for the future. Though it is a sad reality, it is one that many couples must face. Many people may not find someone who defines their criteria for "soulmate," but that does not mean that they cannot find someone who makes them happy and can spend the rest of their life with. "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts is about how two people's journeys through relationships and heartbreak eventually lead them to each other, and once they are together they know that it is meant to be. This song is nice because it realistic in a way that it explains that not all love is going to work out, but everything happens for a reason and God's plan will eventually fall into place.