Since moving to this small Greek island I now call home, I’ve found that a lot—not all—local mothers are obsessed with marrying off their off-spring particularly their not so confident daughters. For some, it seems as if by getting their daughter hitched is not just one of their goals but the defining achievement of their life and the final missing puzzle of their overall success. For others if their poor child isn’t married by a certain point they’ll somehow feel incomplete or that their life is a failure when I say their I refer to the mother not the daughter.
These poor girls are brainwashed by daily mantras from these overbearing mothers:
“You need a man.”
“I’m tired of you being single; my friends keep asking if you have met someone.”
“You’ve been on three dates why hasn’t he proposed yet?”
“You’re ready for marriage”
This is just a sampling of the statements these poor girls are subjected to on a daily basis. The problem is, I very rarely hear any of these mothers speak about love—at least it’s not the first thing they bring up. The focus always seems to be on their daughter’s age and marriage, like a husband is the consolation prize for maturing.
Attention all you girls out there, sorry, life, and more specifically love, doesn’t work that way.
At the end of the day, marriage is merely a legal contract. Yes, people swear
before God and take vows (or whatever it is they choose to do to consummate their union) but the fact of the matter is you’re signing paperwork and documentation to legally bind yourself to another person ’til death do you part or ’til your divorce allows you to part, whichever comes first.
You see, love is something completely separate from the institution of marriage.
It’s the glue that makes the union work because a ring won’t make you happy for long. That marriage certificate won’t put a smile on your face every night. That “fabulous” wedding dress won’t keep you warm at night. That massive reception and the three thousand envelopes filled with cash won’t feed your soul forever and ever.
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A marriage can’t and won’t be able to do any of the above, but love will. I’m not talking about that “ I really like you because you treat me well” type of love. I’m talking about that “You make me a better person, I want to spend the rest of my life with you” type of love. That real love…
All you pushy mother’s out there back off or Lou will have something to say!
These poor girls are brainwashed by daily mantras from these overbearing mothers:
“You need a man.”
“I’m tired of you being single; my friends keep asking if you have met someone.”
“You’ve been on three dates why hasn’t he proposed yet?”
“You’re ready for marriage”
This is just a sampling of the statements these poor girls are subjected to on a daily basis. The problem is, I very rarely hear any of these mothers speak about love—at least it’s not the first thing they bring up. The focus always seems to be on their daughter’s age and marriage, like a husband is the consolation prize for maturing.
Attention all you girls out there, sorry, life, and more specifically love, doesn’t work that way.
At the end of the day, marriage is merely a legal contract. Yes, people swear
before God and take vows (or whatever it is they choose to do to consummate their union) but the fact of the matter is you’re signing paperwork and documentation to legally bind yourself to another person ’til death do you part or ’til your divorce allows you to part, whichever comes first.You see, love is something completely separate from the institution of marriage.
It’s the glue that makes the union work because a ring won’t make you happy for long. That marriage certificate won’t put a smile on your face every night. That “fabulous” wedding dress won’t keep you warm at night. That massive reception and the three thousand envelopes filled with cash won’t feed your soul forever and ever.
%5B1%5D.jpg)
A marriage can’t and won’t be able to do any of the above, but love will. I’m not talking about that “ I really like you because you treat me well” type of love. I’m talking about that “You make me a better person, I want to spend the rest of my life with you” type of love. That real love…
All you pushy mother’s out there back off or Lou will have something to say!
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