Marsha Maung:: Freelance graphic designer and writer

Blog first published : Monday, June 21st 2004

Popstars announce their impending weddings and the entire world whisper to each other..."Let's make a bet. How long do you think this marriage will last? I say 3 months and they're out of each others' lives". We giggle and then make jokes about Hollywood marriages.

For sure, the quality of marriages these days have been reduced to mere nothing. It's almost like the chance to hook up with a person just for the sake of signing a piece of paper...showing the world that a person is capable of a union like this.

Marriage is a big thing.

But when someone close to you is suffering from the same fate - it's really nothing funny. If anyone dare whisper a word about it, I'll personally wrangle the stupid ass's head off! I know I shouldn't swear but hey, it's something really serious to me and I am entitled to feel very strongly about the issue of divorce. About living happily ever after.

This makes me think very seriously about this 'happily ever after' bull....it's nothing more than just a fairytale ending that clever minds thought up. I guess it's not very logical to expect writers (I am also one, remember?) to write UNhappy endings - who'd read? But geez, does it actually exist? Does anyone on this planet actually live happily ever after...at all? If they claim they are, are they faking it? To show the world that they managed to keep the union alive?

That's the jaded view that I have taken of late. Of course, the more logical and factual side of me will fight back. "Hey, Marsha. It's just a one off thing. Don't apply the same rule to the rest of the world, ok?". But the thing is that I see more UNHAPPY marriages and DIVORCES than I see happy marriages.

Maybe that's the reason why I have stopped reading LOVE STORIES, mentally spitting at the notion of living together happily ever after. That is also, perhaps, the reason why I have stopped watching ROMANCE stories. Haven't watched one of those soppy movies about finding love of life for the longest time.

Now, when my husband pops in one of those 'sci-fi, horror and scientific films', the ones I used to scoff at...I welcome them now. Anything but watching Mel Gibson trying to court Meg Ryan and finding true love at the end of the 2 hour ordeal.

Maybe I will change my mind later, when it all settles down. But for now, as long as my closed-one is going through this life-changing experience, I can't find the will and heart to actually forgive those fairytale story writers for coming up with something as LUDICROUS as HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

I received some bad news of late...a marriage that I considered to be a match-made-in-Heaven has failed! The couple, after 1-year of marrying have decidede to sign papers for divorce. That's the last I heard. But I am pretty sure that coming from the female party, it must be true.

I have seen way too many people who have failed marriages....like it's either public or a very private failure. Some fail publicly because they go for divorce. Some fail privately cause the couple remain together and not talk to each other, act like room-mates and all....and still not divorce each other. I don't know about you, but it's sickening the way society has finally become

marsha

BLOG FIRST POSTED ON March 28th 2005

"Men are like that? They will, at least once in their lifetimes, consider becoming unfaithful to their spouse. It's like that. You'll just have to accept it!" - like hell I will!

I wasn't totally in agreement when a well-meaning relative spoke of this issue - it's ok for men to be unfaithful and not OK for women to be unfaithful. In fact, according to some elderly (much as I respect them, I don't always agree with them), women are not even supposed to leave their homes unless it's with their kids or husbands. What century are we living in anyway?

I mean, I know of a friend (hope friend does not read this post) who started going to Yoga classes a couple of weeks ago. Ended up, she came home with more than just a sprained ankle. She took home a fellow student and they snogged. No sex, just snogged. Is that wrong? I mean, she hopes that her partner won't find out about it and all...but is it wrong to snog someone when you're not legally attached to anyone?

Let's look at it this way, she felt guilty but at the same time, she felt deeply appreciated and extremely flattered that someone took to her. She would've loved to dive under the covers, into the pants of this man, but the fact remains is that she didn't.

If men were given the chance, do you want to place a bet with me on whether he would or would not?

marsha
http://www.marshamaung.com