24. Marriage

M is an important step in the life of every man and woman. Unfortunately nowadays too often young people espouse (вступать в брак) when they are not ready for such an event in their life. Unreadiness can be explained by different reasons of material and moral nature. Very often young people get married not having possessed the steady social status, not yet finished the higher education, got the high-paying job that can provide comfortable conditions to the new family. Among the problems of moral nature it’s possible to mention the moral unreadiness for marriage due to immaturity(нез-ть)of the character. Irresponsible attitude towards the marriage leads to high divorce rate especially in our country.

Very often young people espouse too early striving for high emotions of the feeling of being in love or nice appearance, not knowing each other very well, the special features of the character of each other that are of course very important for getting married, for leaving together, for lasting (прочный) marriage. The search of a good match is not an easy task, it’s a responsible mission that first of all consists of the work on yourself – you need to understand what qualities are important for you and with what qualities of your chosen one you would be unhappy, as the “good match” is the combination of appearance features, the character qualities, mutual occupations, hobbies and views that unit two people. To be ready for the marriage means to know not only your match perfectly, but also to know yourself, what you can stand and what you can’t. Only such a marriage will be lasting, continuous and happy, bringing both parts only positive emotions.

Now, in the century of globalization a number of international marriages have increased. There could be a number of reasons for such a tendency: the desire of a better life especially after the Period of Soviet Union, the disappointment of Russians in the citizens of our country, the wide circle of communication that often brings us beyond the country, the possibilities of people nowadays to study and work abroad for a long time and for short periods, the great amount of foreign companies in which a number of foreign representatives work. Besides the occasional acquaintances in the streets, at work and so on, there have appeared a number of agencies that offer their services in the field of finding an international match. The borders of love disappear. They give the possibility to find love, a special person in any part of our world. Now one’s own country is not enough even for most refined (изощренный) dreamers. If we touch upon the topic of international marriages we cannot ignore the problem of consequences of such marriages and the problem of such divorces. The legislations of countries differ and can promote a great number of most unpredictable consequences (последствий). Not long ago the world was shaken by some divorce cases, the children having been born in which were left not with Russian mothers but with foreign fathers. Such terrible situations in which these people found themselves should make us be more attentive.

As I have already said, marriage is an important step in the life of every man and woman, but the wedding it’s the beginning of a marriage, and the way you celebrate it to a large extent (во многом) define the future mutual life of the newly married couple. A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of wedding vows, presentation of a gift (offering, ring(s), symbolic item, flowers, money), and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or leader. Special wedding garments (одежды) are often worn, and the ceremony is followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayers or readings from Scripture or literature also may be incorporated into the ceremony.

As for me, as an ordinary girl I have my personal idea of the perfect wedding ceremony. In my opinion the real family, the real unit, the real love is above marriage, but in our society marriage has great importance, it transfers the relations of two people into the next level, it makes relations lawful, gives the new status to them, the registered one, that is necessary, for example, after a child’s birth and in privities (имущ. отношения). Since my childhood I have had a very romantic dream of the wedding ceremony that should be the vow of eternal love and devotion (преданность). The ceremony should be intimate, only for two people and in some romantic, picturesque place for example on the sea coast when/while sea waves splash at sunset, or on the top of a mountain in a little cozy church to a sound of wind. It is the ceremony for two, where there is no place for insincerity, falsehood and hypocrisy (лицемерие). But also I have the opposite idea of the wedding, not only for two people, but this time for all close people too, for the family, parents, friends and relatives. It should be a merry, loud and cheerful holiday that will stay in memory for long. Such an event that unites families, makes them more friendly and closer to each other.

In conclusion I’d like to say that people should think about the institute of marriage with more responsibility not to let the marriage lose its importance, value and necessity.