Streams of Consciousness… Beware of wordiness*!

Dwelling on the banalities of marital union and holding on to it is a false belief on marriage. Most Filipinos view marriage like those depicted on fairy taleswhich is a sham. But let’s face it, we all love happy endings. But not all relationships end this way. When that happens (when things do not go the way we imagine them to be; when there is incompatibility among partners, when we are disillusioned from our impulsive desires and there is loss of intimacy, and even physical abuse), divorce comes in very handy.

Sure, the vow states that as husband and wife, the two should stick together "for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, till death do them part", but there will come a time when marital issues corrode the union. And sometimes, these issues cannot be resolved. Will we allow the two to stay together and fake what they are feeling all because marriage is sacred?? At this point, "non-resolvable marital issues" take the form of death in a relationship. Thus, let divorce work its way through.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not after breaking up married couples. I only want to help families have a considerable compromise when the couple’s love for each other have already faded, when they are incompatible, and what’s worse, when physical abuse is eminent. In this case, divorce is the supreme salvation.

Why are we not legalizing divorce here in the Philippines? Is it because of the religious premise that "marriage is a sacred matrimony"? That’s a load of crap. If you would like to talk about sanctity, then marriage is far from being one. It is the mutual understanding of the couple involved which is sacred. What’s sacred is how they manage to keep the love alive.

If it’s allowed in the U.S., then why not here? Americans aren’t the only ones who have "irresolvable marital cruxes". Why not let Filipinos enjoy the benefits of divorce, too? This oughtta teach us a lesson to be semi-permeable when it comes to picking a partner in life. This should instill in our minds that marriage is a serious commitment.

Some Filipinos would say that if divorce were to be legalized, then it would only increase the number of failed marriages. Ha-ha. Do you think that divorce is the only measure of a marriage’s failure? Let me tell you this:

• a loveless union is an even deeper failure;
• a union having a battered wife/husbad (you’ll never know) doesn’t make things any more pleasant.

Yes, marriage SHOULD be a life-long commitment. But finding a person worthy of having that commitment with is never an easy thing to do. Therefore, we should not view divorce as a threat to the sanctity of marital union. It isn’t. It is, as the way I put it, a remedy.

(Don’t miss the metaphors on this one!)

“We’ve come this far, it’s too late to turn back now.”

…pardon my French, but I daresay “Nay!” (this reminds me of Pong..hehe). It’s never too late to tread on a different path. Finishing the route that leads to somewhere awry is not the same as going (more than) halfway to it. More than often, it’s good to put our steps to a halt and defy the notorious reputation for our rather impulsive behavior. It isn’t a crime to think things over and contemplate on our choices. Will we forge ahead on our current path? Or will we turn our backs to it and set forth on a new itinerary?

Or say perhaps that you have finished the wrong path because you have taken leave of your reason, do remember never to overstay. Don’t forget to call upon your better judgment. It makes a big difference in banishing yourself from that skew-whiff of a place and deciding to take on a new pursuit rather than staying on the place of perdition. Remorse is not good unless you do something about it and change your ways.