Recent studies have shown a trend in recent years, not of divorce itself, but rather the idea that you become like those with whom you associate. If you are married but hang out with a lot of divorcees, these studies show that you too will become another statistic. On the other hand, if you are married and hang out with married couples, you are more likely to stay married. The more pessimistic members of society denounce the idea of marriage at all, if you're just as likely to split up as stay together, but with all the marriages that happen in life, on television, in our books and other media, we must still want it.
The reason we still participate in marriages (besides any religious beliefs that steer us towards it and the fact our society only functions properly when the basic family unit is functioning) is because of hope. Young singles attend yet another friend's wedding reception because they hope to someday share in that union. Already married couples attend weddings because it can be a fun night out, a way to show support for family or friends, or it can be a chance to rekindle feelings and relive memories of their own wedding. Even those who have been divorced will often remarry; they still hope and believe in the institution of marriage. There are even divorced marriage counselors out there, and I think that is very brave.
Now, religiously speaking, for Mormons I think it's easier to join in the marriage festivities and at the same time harder. It's easier because you'll find a lot more willing participants in any given age group because of our shared beliefs. We believe that a man and a woman must be sealed together in order to obtain salvation and perfection in the next life. While single, it means we are actively seeking a lifelong partner, and while we look we work on becoming the best version of ourselves. That's great for the world. That marital bond is also great for raising good kids and adds dependability to an increasingly chaotic world.
Yet these ideals can make life difficult for the singles in the church. There's lots of pressure to marry, and as the years go by hope starts to fade and doubt creeps in. It just gets worse as you get older, especially as you realize there are those who will never get the chance to marry in this life and you could be one of them. A particularly famous single LDS lady comes to mind: Sheri Dew. She is an amazing woman with an incredible testimony, yet she has not been married or had the chance to raise her own family. She has probably come to terms with her role in this life by now, but I am sure there are still times when she wishes things could have turned out differently.
Keep in mind that the Lord will always give us the chance to keep His commandments--if He has commanded that every one of us needs to be sealed before getting into the highest kingdom of heaven, He will provide a way. I'm thinking there will be lots of Millennium weddings. My sister always did find the young men in my grandma's yearbook very attractive, the ones that died in military service shortly out of high school.
The point is what's in your heart--if you are a member of the church and still single, yet you're doing everything on your end to be a worthy companion, the Lord knows it and will provide a way. Weddings are a marvelous tradition and can be quite fun, but they are also necessary to our eternal salvation. I will continue to hope for my single friends, for my married yet struggling friends, and for marriages everywhere.
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