if you do it right you'll only have to do it once

Sure this title could apply to a lot of things, but I will choose to focus in on one aspect of it. Marriage.

There are some shocking statistics out there about divorce rates in America. (When I say shocking I mean it in the sense of shockingly sad not like an electrical shock.) Is it that more and more people aren't falling all the way in love or that they're falling out of love?

The statistics say that 50% of first marriages, 67% of second marriages, and 74% of third marriages end in divorce. (Third time isn't the charm.) What that shows me is that people aren't falling in love, or rather their sense of being in love is skewed from what I think love is. I just don't see how someone could "fall out of love" three marriages in a row. Okay sure there are other possibilities (cheating, spouse was never in love, etc.) but I think you'd have to be a complete jackass to have three picks at a wife and not be able to pick the right one. To me that shows that some people will never be happy with just one person.

So what is America's problem? Are people marrying too young? Is marriage not as sacred as it used to be? Or is it something more complicated and deeper rooted than that?

Does a ring on the finger not mean what it used to?

I don't have an answer to any of these questions, but I'll tell you something I do know. Whenever I meet a new person the first place my eyes wander is to their left ring finger. I like to see if they have a wedding ring. I take mental notes of it and often think about it.

Just to show you I'm being serious here's some insight. My calc professor is married but she doesn't have a wedding ring. She's talked about her husband in class so I know he exists. Interesting that she doesn't wear a ring though, right? My economics professor is married. I saw that right away when she was using the overhead the other day during lecture. She's got a big ass rock on that thing too, well played. My literature professor is married. Saw her ring today. It was reassuring because she's young and has an infant son. My psych professor is married and speaks often about her daughters. Ring: check. Finally, in drugs and behavior I'm not sure. No ring, but as my calc professor proves you don't have to wear a ring to be married. Also, my calc TA is married. The guy can't be older than 25, good for him.

83.33% of my professors are married. I feel like that's a pretty good percentage.

I guess what I'm saying is that just because statistics aren't in your favor doesn't mean that marriage and true love don't exist. I know there are 1,000,000 things that can change in a course of a relationship and alter that once perfect relationship. Granted, when you say "I do" you have no idea what lies ahead. The thing is, you can't be afraid of those million things that could happen. When you kiss your bride at the alter you shouldn't be thinking any farther ahead than the dancing that awaits you and your imminent embarrassment from a lack of "rhythm".

Marriage is supposed to be the start of a life together with special someone. It isn't a statistic, it isn't  a part time thing, and it isn't doomed. There's a lot of love out there and I think that everybody can find somebody to love forever. Maybe not on the level of "soulmate" but if they can make you laugh, make you smile, and make you feel okay when you aren't why not spend forever with them?

Marriage is still alive and if you do it right you'll only have to do it once.

That's my plan. One and done.