I Do[n’t]

Good Evening,

Megan's Magazine. My Magazine.

After a conversation with an old friend, we've concluded that everyone around me is getting married. It’s like freakin’ Noah’s Ark, where couples from various socioeconomic classes, sexualities, religions, backgrounds and heritages are pairing up and boarding the boat christened "marriage". The only similarities these diverse twosomes’ share are their age range –My age range. I don't think I'll ever get married, I'm choosing the raft rather than the boat.

My Love.

I’m not a broken or bitter soul, I’m not sure I will find someone who will share my gipsy lifestyle. I’ve got a lot of crazy going on. I’m a minimalist who wants to see the world; I work to travel and I don’t see that ever changing. My dog hates people. But this isn’t the point of this caffeine-induced thought. What’s the value in marriage? Let’s say I do find that person who can, not only withstand me, but love my vegetarian, travel-happy, hippy, feminist ways. Suppose he adores my anxious dog, and say he can deal with my angry/happy crying and angry/happy sisters.  What’s the value in getting married in the twenty-first century?

I loved this day.

Don't get me wrong, I support people’s desire for marriage; I think I was more excited than anyone when Justin told me he was finally purposing to Megan – I’ve been sending them optional wedding songs (which have bee shot down) for over a year now. I’ve proudly been a both a maid of honor and a bridesmaid. I can't wait for Amber and Steve to have their Balinese wedding, I'm their biggest fan.  But I just don’t think it’s for me, I just don't understand what it means.

 Carol has one of the most inspirational relationships.

To me, it seems that people get married because they believe they want to be with that person for the rest of their lives, or in some cases even beyond that. But people also believe in divorce. According to Statistics Canada, about 38 per cent of all marriages that took place in 2004 will end in divorce by 2035. I support divorce: don’t be together if it's going to be unhappily ever after. When there’s more bad than good, I think it’s time to go your separate ways. But ultimately, aren't we saying these vows ‘to death do us part’ when what we really mean is "I want to be with you, until I don’t"?

I feel I have to constantly expand on my lifestyle choice, so now I need help understanding yours. When you think of  a marriage, what does that mean, and more importantly, what does marriage symbolize?

Kirstin 

Maybe some girls aren't  meant to be tamed. Maybe they are supposed to run wild until they find someone, just as wild, to run with. - Carrie, Sex in the City