Marriage is intense. Carol Ann Duffy likens it to an onion in her poem Valentine. Marriage can be full of flavour and depth, yet have the ability to hurt deeply. This intensity reaches its climax at the wedding, I believe, when one recites the vow and makes the commitment.
I, XX, take you, XX, to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.
It is poetic and it probably rhymes a little but when I ponder on the words, I'm not sure if I will be able to say them at all. For worse, for poorer, in sickness - if a situation like this happens, I've got to stand by my husband, till death do us part.
What if I'm unable to? What if I'm too cowardly, or I don't have enough love in my heart to give? What if I'm not tenacious enough? So many what ifs... when will I ever be ready?
I can finally understand why some people get cold feet because there's no turning back! I don't believe in divorce because it goes against the vow and what I will be committing to. Sure, I have not been married and I don't fully comprehend the difficulties and problems that come with marriage but I believe that marriage is sacred and one that should not be broken once a commitment has been made.
The beauty of the Catholic vow is that, it is only with God's strength will I be able to fulfill my vows. I cannot do it without Him.
And it is with this knowledge and assurance, that He will be with me that will finally allow me to say, "I Do" with as much conviction as I can give. Knowing that there will be one person who chooses to love me despite everything that he sees - nothing gets more precious than this.
