marriage: for better or ?

Nowadays it seems that marriage vows are not kept much. Two people who are in love look into each others eyes and promise to love each other for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health until death does part them. However in practice what they really mean is I will stick with you while things are going well, but as soon as things happen that I don't like, I will leave. When I was a family lawyer, I often had clients who were the father or the mother, and who now had a lot of anger and hostility toward their former partner. I often used to think that there used to be a time when you loved that person, and now look at how things are. All of us are looking for love. We all want someone who will love and accept us for who we think we are. But some of us are selfish and want everything our way. In a real relationship there are two people who both deserve to have their needs met. So neither of them is going to get everything they want all the time. It is a matter of two different people learning to give and to take, learning to live together and adjusting to each other's mannerisms and needs and quirks and desires. It is also very important to try to keep romance alive. Often when we first meet we are romantic with flowers and chocolates and holding hands and hugs and nice times together, but after we become partners or get married it all stops and we settle into a routine. This is not good. We must both strive to maintain romance to keep the flame of love burning. It is important to have good priorities. God first, husband and wife or partner second, children third, work fourth and so on. If we have wrong priorities then important relationships begin to suffer. Work should never come before relationship between partners. Marriages are like plants which need water and sunlight to thrive. Relationships need quality time. It is lovely to see old couples who are still in love with each other after 50 or more years of marriage. Rough and hard times will come, and it is at those times that we need the support of someone who loves us and cares about us. Marriages and relationships can become deeper and better as both people go through the hard times together and unitedly come through. There is that great little story called "footsteps" where a man had a dream that he and God were walking together on a beach leaving two tracks of footsteps in the sand. He noticed that there were times when there was only one set of footsteps at the hardest and most difficult times of life. He said to God: "Why did you leave me when things got hard and difficult?" God answered and said: "I didn't leave you, it was at those times that I carried you." There are moments in life when our work can't help us and when money can't help us, and we need strong loving relationships. These relationships require work and effort and giving to develop. Commitment is the key and faithfulness. Every one wants a partner who is faithful, but how few there seem to be. Its when the going gets tough that we discover who our friends really are.