SYMC Definition of Marriage

A marriage creates a permanent lifelong familial relationship between the people who enter into it.

It is a covenant and a contractual agreement between its members.

It is a covenant between the people in the marriage and the rest of society.

It is a covenant between the people in the marriage and, if they so believe, their deity.

It encompasses and is built upon sexual, physical, economic, emotional, charitable, and spiritual bonds.

Married people are bound to protect one another and in so doing to avoid choices and actions which are harmful to any of the members or to themselves.

Married people agree to limit their behavior in all areas in concert with the agreed-on limits of the marriage.

A marriage provides a secure, stable place for married people to pursue their innate desire for inner peace, tranquility, and happiness.

 

A marriage provides a secure, stable place for married people to facilitate their spouses innate desire  for inner peace, tranquility, and happiness.

The marriage covenant requires protecting, helping, and nurturing any children who are part of the family whether they be a product of that marriage or any other union.

Marriage is not about sex, love, or happiness. Marriage is the basic building block of society in that it creates stability for its members and that of the future generations, and therefore society as a whole. Maintaining love in marriage by the avoidance of harm and the meeting of needs is the mortar that holds the commitment to that union together. Loss of love is not reason for dissolution of the marriage but a call to explore how to restore that love and one's own need for change within the marriage.

Society's largest institutions -- Religion and Government -- often codify the practices of the society into Law, either religious law or secular law. A marriage is not required to meet the laws of either of these bodies in order to BE a marriage, however.

Divorced is not the same as unmarried. The legal contract of the marriage (should there be one) can be severed by divorce. The covenant however cannot. SYMC suggests there are parts of that bond that cannot be severed while both partners still live.

 

 

 

© Penny R. Tupy and Joanna Bare, January 2004, October 2006

Penny is a professional marriage coach specializing in infidelity addiction and abuse. For one on one assistance in implementing these concepts and techniques or for other marital help she can be reached at  at 651.775.8302 or email

 

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