Winning Words 7/6/10
“It’s better to marry a neighbor than a stranger.” (Uruguayan Proverb) Last week I read about a couple who have been living together for three years and don’t want to get married for fear of spoiling their relationship. What is marriage? Another proverb describes it as an uncut watermelon. The word, Uruguay, means “river of the colored birds.” It’s located in South America, between Brazil and Argentina. ;-) Jack

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: Personally, my own opinion and experience is that whenever you marry, you marry a stranger. There is something (I feel) that whenever you step over that line from relationship to marriage, people start to really becoming their own selves, can it be because we feel more secure, maybe even more focussed on the relationship and each other in ways that we didn't realize we were lacking before? Anyway, God puts us together and, if we really work at the marriage, we can know a lot more about God, ourselves, the people we marry and the world and that's a blessing (I feel). FROM JACK: You sound like you relate to the uncut "watermelon" concept in today's WWs.

FROM RI IN BOSTON: Yeah, like an uncut watermelon, that's good. Will it turn out to be tender and juicy sweet...or hard, bland and disappointing? In my case I chose a good one. FROM JACK: How do you know which watermelon to buy in the store? I tapped Mary on the head and then chose her.

FROM MO IN ILLINOIS: How times have changed, in regard to Marrying, whether your neighbor or a stranger, eh? When we fell in love we couldn't wait to "tie the knot", and once tied, you perservered, and didn't think about quitting, you worked at that relationship, which brings such blessings if both are committed. I have heard the "we don't want to spoil a good thing", too..My grandson and his wife lived together off and on for over ten years before finally marrying last Sept! (They seem very happy!) Anyway, what used to NOT be acceptable, is now seemingly taken in stride, and the marriage commitment has suffered. Another bane of our old age... FROM JACK: Lots of stuff has changed....some for the worse, but some for the better. Sen Everett Dirksen was once criticized for changing his vote on a certain issue. He responded, "Whoever doesn't change is either dead or in an insane asylum." And he was a Republican, too.

FROM AM IN MICHIGAN: Among other things, marriage is a holy and legal commitment. FROM JACK: Legal? yes; holy? It depends of the religious views of the couple.