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Myth of Self-sufficiency

3/21/16

We, the women (and men) of 21st century have been buying into an idea of self-sufficiency. The idea that marriage is meant to bring two complete people together not to complete two incomplete people. We are not completed by people. We are created complete. Marriage is supposed to enhance and serve as a catalyst for improvement. It is supposed to bring two complete (perfect?) people together who create a beautiful union, create beautiful union, make both their families extremely happy and live happily ever after.

On the other end of the spectrum is the notion that marriage is in-fact a means to complete oneself, you know perfect one's imperfections. When one gets married, somehow, one's spouse is going to fill in all the gaps in one's soul, like a magic filler paint which spreads all over your soul, fills in the gaps wherever it finds them and beautifies the rest of you. Again, the end goal here is to be happy. You fill the cracks in another person's soul, them doing the same for you and now you are both beautiful and perfect and you can live happily ever after (think: Beauty and the Beast).


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