Danielle Barnes, 3rd Year Law Student at WMU Thomas M. Cooley Law School thank you for your effort and application for the Brandon Legal Group Legal Scholarship. We present your essay here as an honorable mention, and wish you the very best in your academic and professional career.
For information on participating in Brandon Legal Group’s $1,000 Scholarship, click here.
Why Is Marriage Important To Our Society? What Are The Benefits?
Marriage is defined as a union between two people and it is important to our society because it represents who is a part of our society, what values they bring, and it represents what America has worked hard to protect. Marriage has broken many barriers as to what ethnic groups or what genders can form this union. Many of our fundamental rights are founded on the principles of what marriage entails. When one uses the word marriage outside of its core, they define it as a mixture of something or a merger. It is amazing how two people can become one with marriage, which dispels the fact that marriage is just a legal document. The reason why marriage is and should be important to our society is because it mirrors what America has worked hard to do—form a united and powerful front.
There are a plethora of benefits afforded to marriage. Where two people have different strengths and weaknesses, the strengths of one can compensate for the weakness of another. It’s like wearing a very nice shirt and tie to compensate for the “barely adequate” pants. Another benefit is having children and creating a family. Society always look to making the future better and pass on history. The best way to create the future is by having children to continue on the family legacy. Marriage is essential to children as well. It is key that children grow up in a two-parent home because it shows the child what love should look like. It offers stability and values to the children. It is possible that unmarried people can be in a home with children, but the value of commitment may be lacking in the child’s life, which is why many young people now have trouble getting married or showing commitment to others.
Among the many benefits of marriage is selflessness. Marriage exudes selflessness—if one truly works to have a great marriage. It becomes habit, to ask your spouse, “How was your day?” or “What do you want to eat?” or “What would you like to do?” A selfless society can dissipates some of the hatred and discord we often face in our society today. Marriage also builds strength. Being married is not easy nor is it a chore. Some of the strengths gained in a marriage are endurance, forgiveness, love, maturity, communication, patience, and kindness. I have been married for seven years—seven years of not walking out when I am upset, forgiving when I have been hurt, and loving him enough to fight for our marriage and make it work. All of these instances require communication rather than the silent treatment. I have learned to wait for anger to cool down (patience) so I can hear his perspective and be kind in the process. My marriage journey began at 23 years of age and I have matured substantially in the way I’ve handled dilemmas and other relationships outside of my marriage. Simply put, marriage is the fabric that holds many families together within our society and should be held at a high regard.
