Over 20 years ago I said, “I do” in my wedding ceremony. I think with the passage of so much time, it isn’t a bad idea to go back to that place and really think about the implications of “I do.”
It isn’t a bad idea for anyone who is married for any period of time, because I think what can subtly happen is that our “I dos” turn into “I don’t.”
Consider the traditional wedding vows:
I, (name), take you (name), to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.
I do…take you to my husband or wife. Taking is receiving. When we receive our spouse it means we take them as they are—the good with the bad.
I do…take you to have and to hold from this day forward. This means there is no end to our love and dedication. There is no expiration date on our marriage.
I do…take you for better or for worse. We all have our better days but we also have our worse days, whether it is just an attitude or a particular struggle in life.
I do…take you for richer, for poorer. Whether we are living high on the hog or in the pits of financial despair.
I do…take you in sickness and in health. Even when sickness is inconvenient or requires sacrifice.
I do…love and cherish you; from this day forward until death do us part. Only when death comes, shall our love end.
Remember all these dos? Have you reached a point in which you do but you don’t? In other words, you have forgotten all those promises made? It may not even be intentional but with the passage of time, you may have slid in some areas.
I know I have…and I plan on doing something about it. What about you?
Related Articles:
Weathering the Seasons of Marriage
The Makings of a Good Marriage
Photo by phaewilk in morgueFile