You want them forever, dreaming of the day when they tell you that they’ll love you for eternity. But in your haste to say “yes” or get down on one knee, you wonder if you’re truly ready to commit to a lifetime of love. You watch your friends plan weddings and yearn for the day when it’s your time for eternal love, even if your relationships always fall to pieces. But this is what it really means to be ready for marriage.
When you’re ready for marriage, you stay faithful. You love your partner with your entire being, knowing that you could never see a future with anyone else. Your eyes don’t wander to others whom you believe could give you more — more love, more time, more attention. Instead, you commit to communicating openly, building a better relationship brick by brick until your foundation is immovable. You could never dream of a life with anyone else because you know that you’ve found someone you’re willing to love in all of their imperfections.
When you’re ready for marriage, you’re self-aware. You easily recognize your virtues and shortcomings, fully understanding how your actions affect your relationship. You don’t place blame on your partner for your behavior, manipulating them into believing that only your perspective matters, shirking responsibility for your actions. Instead, you accept your best qualities and remain aware of the traits that hold you back from unconditional love, promising to change and never breaking your word. You can see yourself clearly through your partner’s eyes and through the eyes of the world around you because you’re ready and willing to acknowledge your faults.
When you’re ready for marriage, you’re committed to growing alongside your partner. You both dream of a life together — a life in which you bring out the best in each other, guiding each other along the way. You don’t watch your partner better themselves for your sake and still remain stagnant, refusing to accept responsibility and change your worst qualities. Instead, you’re willing to admit that you’re lacking, to ask your partner what they need from you, and to improve every aspect of your life by your partner’s side. You’re both equally committed to divulging your feelings, supporting your partner’s passions, and rectifying the wrongs that have harmed your relationship.
In a whirlwind of engagements, weddings, and happy newlyweds, you yearn for forever, believing that you are ready for a lifetime commitment to your partner. But you must recognize that to be ready for marriage, you must love your partner wholeheartedly, notice and change your harmful actions, and be ready and willing for a lifetime of growth alongside your partner. Only then are you ready for marriage — to love for better and for worse, no matter what challenges you and your partner face.
