Love For Sale

Love for Sale

“You’re throwing away happiness with both hands, and reaching out for something that will never make you happy.”

                                                                                                -Rhett Butler Gone With the Wind

I have argued with myself over this post because I try to give everybody something light and happy all the time.  Then I realized that if I didn’t post this, then I would have sold a piece of myself as well and frankly folks I’ve done enough of that in this lifetime already, to be honest!  Topics like this are the reason why I decided to start blogging, because it affords all of us a stage to either perform, and then go take off the makeup, or to truly shine on our own or fail on our own.  However it may turn out, you can still say I stayed true to what I believed whether right or wrong in the eyesight of others or even when it wasn’t the popular thing to say.  So this is the tune I am marching to, and hopefully by the time I get to the end, some of you will be marching right with me.  If by the end you’re still not convinced or able to see where this post makes sense, I will still appreciate you, because that’s the spirit of this blog.  We don’t all have to agree, but to be present for the debate and to cast your vote is what really matters and makes us all such beautiful friends.  Now that we got that out of the way…whew! So lately, a lot of my friends and family have been getting engaged and married. It seems like the new party is a wedding reception.  While I am truly happy for those who are mutually in love, there are some that you just got to wonder if one of their parents dropped them on their heads and didn’t tell anyone.  I have been thinking about calling child protective services and asking if they do retroactive cases.  It’s one thing when someone is being a creepy crawler behind their perspective spouse’s back, but when everyone knows including the future spouse, well at this point I’m at a loss.  So we had a discussion about why you would marry someone else for reasons besides love.  In case you haven’t guessed it, the main reason was money, dinero, ducketts, greenbacks, or whatever you like to call it.  It’s not that this is something new, but I must say that actually tying your life to someone for something as common as money, is somehow…worthless.  Now you have to take this from an old standard, because these days people trade spouses like they change underwear.  Once upon a time, “for better or worse” really meant something.  If you fought, you made up, not moved out.  For those who have never really paid attention to all the words spoken and recited in vows, I have included from myweddingvows.com, the promises that we make to God and break to each other. So tell me, what do vows mean to you?

Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company of witnesses to join together this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony; which is an honorable estate, instituted of God, signifying unto us the mystical union that is between Christ and His Church; which Holy Estate Christ adorned with His presence and first miracle that He wrought in Cana of Galilee, and is commended of St. Paul to be honorable among all men; and therefore, not entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, soberly and in the fear of God. Into this Holy Estate these two persons present come now to be joined.

If any man can show just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.

Who gives this woman to be married to this man? (Optional)

________, will you have this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to live together after God s ordinance in the Holy Estate of Matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others keep you only unto her as long as you both shall live?

________, will you have this man to be your lawful wedded husband, to live together after God s ordinance in the Holy Estate of Matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others keep you only unto him as long as you both shall live?

The marriage ring seals the vows of marriage and represents a promise for eternal and everlasting love.

(Groom: Repeat after me) I ________ take thee, ________ to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish forever, according to God s Holy Ordinance, and thereto I give thee my pledge.

(Bride: Repeat after Me) I ________ take thee, ________ to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish forever, according to God s Holy Ordinance, and thereto I give thee my pledge.

Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.

Forasmuch as ________ and ________ have consented together in Holy Wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company of witnesses, and there to have given their pledge, each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring, and by joining hands; by the power vested in me by the State of Illinois, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

You many now kiss your bride.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present to you Mr. And Mrs. ________.

As I come to a close, I want to thank you for taking time out of your day to read this blog.  I would say “my blog” but I feel like it’s “our” blog.  I want you to feel like you’ve just come home every time you stop by.  So by all means, come in, take your shoes off, and let’s talk for a while…

P.S.

If you have some topics that you would like to see discussed, then drop us a line on facebook, a tweet on Twitter, a letter by email, or note tied to a carrier pigeon’s foot…however you reach us, we’ll just be glad you did. Email Me: southernkiss@thecottondiaries.com