The results are in.? Marriage is the most effective method for being happy and fulfilled in life.? I?ve been married for 15 and ? years and have to agree.? I compare the benefits of marriage to any other lifestyle and have to agree to ?suck it up? no matter how hard it might be on any given day.? The fact is, it?s usually hard for less than 1% of the time.? It?s just that I?m so accustomed to having things my way that anyone else?s demands seem to be burdensome when I?m fatigued or just crabby.? I think everyone I know in a reasonably happy marriage would agree.? On top of that, there is just no worse scenario I can imagine than having to date again.? No matter what you might say, it is a horrific prospect.? Secondly, it?s been a long time and I?d probably be rusty.
In the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships a study published last month revealed that happiness was directly related to level of commitment.? Those who were the most committed to their marriage had the highest level of fulfillment.? The study showed that people who are married report the highest levels of well-being, regardless of whether they are ?happily married? or not.? Next in line on the happiness scale were people who were co-habitating in committed relationships, followed by those in stable relationships and those casually dating.
"Even when controlling for relationship happiness, being married is associated with higher self-esteem, greater life satisfaction, greater happiness, and less distress.? ?Some commitment appears to be good, but more commitment appears to be even better.?? says researcher Claire Kamp Dush, a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Social Sciences at Cornell University, in a news release.
I love finding studies that support my core beliefs as a Christian.? In Proverbs 18:22 the Bible says ?Who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD.?? I think God knows what He?s talking about.? Marriage to one woman for your whole life is worth fighting for.? If it requires marriage counseling, a date night every week or a long-stem rose once-in-a-while it?s worth it.? Not everyone is blessed with the opportunity to fight for a relationship.? For them there is always the option of committing to group activities.? I believe that Christian fellowship is much like a marriage and requires overlooking faults, acknowledging your own negative ?stuff? and being willing to hear about how others are affected by your actions.? It really closely resembles marriage when it?s done right.? It doesn?t have to be confined to ?church? in the traditional sense of a meeting in a building on Sunday.? It could be any group of friends that share a common interest and are willing to commit to spending time with each other.? Like exercise!
I guess you knew that was coming.? Having a workout buddy dramatically improves your chances of succeeding at a fitness program of any kind.? I believe the same type of chemistry is in play with this scenario.? You commit to be together, not notice bad hair, bad breath or shabby gear.? The point is that you have a job to do and you?ll do it together.? That?s commitment.? Any health improvement program should be done in a committed way with some support and input from a buddy or an even larger group.? I think that?s why we have so much trouble getting our country out of the obesity mode.? Everyone is committed to eating together, not exercising together.? It?s really just a simple switch.? Exercise together instead of eating together.? I?m working on that one with my wife, first thing in the morning!
Reference:? Kamp Dush, C. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Oct. 1, 2005; vol 22: pp 607-627
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