'Death’ of Marriage

Heard of the saying “Marriages are made in heaven”?
Sure, you have at some point in time. Whoever said it clearly didn’t foresee what marriage would look like in the years to come. I can’t root for that saying anymore, but I do know this: marriages can lead to death, sometimes in the most unfathomable ways.

As an avid news reader, I’m no longer surprised when I come across stories reflecting how marriage trends have changed. Brides or grooms now seem to have taken separation to a whole new level. Gone are the days of filing for divorce or seeking family intervention. If one doesn’t want the other- whether it’s due to personal differences, being forced into marriage, or an affair- the solution: murder.

And in many of these cases, one person is the unsuspecting victim.
You can smile, look happy, dance through the wedding festivities, and then, while on your honeymoon, push your “beloved” from a mountain top under the pretense of taking a picture. You can arrange for hitmen who might stage an assault but end up bludgeoning the man to death, all under the guise of a robbery. You can forcefully poison your spouse and then break down in front of everyone, pretending to be devastated. The methods may differ, but the outcome is the same.

What intrigues me is this: most of these culprits eventually get caught. So, what’s the point? Killing an innocent man (and yes, its often men being murdered these days) is it really worth spending the rest of your life in prison for? Wouldn’t it be better to try to compromise, or at least be honest and walk away? Sure, there would be arguments, fights, embarrassment, but at least everyone lives.

I remember a time when the fear was mostly on the other side. For many women, especially in arranged marriages getting married meant leaving the only home they knew, moving in with strangers who were suddenly called “family.” The fear and uncertainty were real. But now, the tables have turned. Men seeking life partners must wonder: “Will I be safe? Will I even survive and if I do, for how long?”

Men have held dominance in society for too long. A little rattling of the norm may be necessary.

But regardless of whether matches were made in heaven, the reality now is something else.
Marriage today holds a very different meaning. Whether this trend will fade or worsen - only time will tell.