The Changing Face of Marriage

My experience of 'domestic church' has been living in a loving and caring household.  My parents are super supportive of my sister and me.  We go to church as a family on Christmas and Easter.  We used to go to church much more when I was younger.  My parents baptized my sister and me within the church.  I also was confirmed in the Presbyterian Church.  We go to Abington Presbyterian Church (pictured).  From movies and television, marriage seems stressful and complicated.  I think the structure of marriage and family life is also changing.  Women are now working and are not raising children on their own.  Many families put their children in daycare.  Also, the traditional roles of men and women, as far as roles around the house, are also changing.  Women do yard work and men cook and clean.  It is good to know that college educated people are less likely to get divorced.  Also, college is a good way to meet potential spouses and life long friends.  I guess I will establish a domestic church in my home someday.  It will depend on my husband's views and beliefs too.  I will definitely not lose my connection with the church and my belief in God.     

Some Say Love . . .

A soul mate is someone who completes you and makes you happy.  Sometimes soul mates can be your best friends.  This is depicted in the song Hey, SoulSister.  I don't believe in the quest for a soul mate.  No person knows exactly what he or she wants or is looking for in a relationship.  Even if people have these thoughts and dreams about the perfect partner, reality is no one will match one's request perfectly.  In the animal kingdom, animals do not worry about finding the perfect life match.  One will search forever to find the right person.  Life is to short, just be happy with who you are.  People should be confident in their relationships no matter what.  This ties into the love song A ThousandYears: "All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow".  I hope to seek loyalty and honesty in my future relationships.  As in the article, the honeymoon phase moves on and people are stuck for the rest off their lives with this other person.  The honeymoon phase is alluded to in Kesha's song Your love Is My Drug when she sings, "I got a sick obsession", "I just can't get you off my mind", "Because your love your love your love is my drug".  As sung in the song Unchained Melody, "time goes by so slowly, and time can do so much are you still mine?"  Time can hurt or help a relationship.  Some relationships just take time to grow.  Like the song We'veOnly Just Begun,  every relationship has room to grow and to work together to solve their problems.  I will look for a man who is independent, adventuresome, and a good listener.  The type of romantic love mentioned in this article and in the Catholic teachings is not the type of love illustrated in rap music.  this type of music is not about committed relationships.       

Gender and Dating Relationships

After reading the article, I still think marriage needs to be a surprise.  People should not be in a serious relationship if they have no intention to get married.  I think the traditional marriage proposal is fine.  Marriage should be discussed, but not decided upon.  The man's role is to propose to the woman.  Women are viewed as controlling or manipulative if they propose to their boyfriend.  I am sure men have expectations too: how she will react, is the ring right, when to propose, how to propose.  I don't think men expect women to propose.  Men are usually the ones to take the initiative.

In the love story project, my grandparents discussed marriage prior to their engagement.  When I interviewed him, my grandfather did not elaborate on their engagement.  They were engaged on the beach in Cape May.  My grandfather gave my grandmother a ring.  They had a traditional proposal and it was a surprise.      

Dating: What's the Point?

I don't agree with our book when it says dating is practice for divorce.  I think dating is a way for someone to figure out what he or she wants in life and to understand who they are.  I liked the phrase: by dating 'we open ourselves up to new possibilities'.  Dating should not be anything serious.  It should be fun and open to experimentation.  The book also said we find God through our interactions   I find this point very true.  God lives within everyone, so dating someone could bring someone closer to God.  In today's culture, dating is considered normal and noncommittal.  Rarely do people who date in high school eventually get married. I think dating has lost its meaning in our generation.  Because of social media, I think it has become more of a status symbol and a way to brag rather than a respected and loving practice.  I do not see how the dating views in our book correspond to the 'hook-up' culture today.  I think the whole hook-up culture in college is stupid, especially when people do not know one another.  Again, I think the hook-up culture is a way to brag and gossip about others.          

Little Women

I think it is sad that our society is manipulating girls at such a young age. Girls should be given smart, athletic, and artistic role models to look up to while they are developing. People only get one childhood, so it a a shame some girls have to grow up too soon. There seems to be no gap between childhood and adolescence anymore.  People's opinion that women's appearance is all that matters is wrong.  Since, women make up half the population, women should be respected and given equal opportunities as men.  I also think the parents of these children should be to blame.  Parents should not allow their children to watch The Kardashians or read Seventeen Magazine.  I'm sure women in my generation will be given more opportunities in the workplace. But it also seems like there is a cap on how many spots are open to women. Employers might hire just enough women to make their company diverse. The Mount has shown me that women are leaders and can make a difference in the world. It had instilled in me the desire to serve others and become the best person I can be.