married w/children.. Oo, or not.. ;p Options

[DivA]

how does everyone here feel about marriage; also, is it within your life's plan to be married & have children in the upcoming future - or, do you feel that marriage is not for you?

in essence, where do you stand?

[Astrid]

I've never been a fan of the traditional family of 4.5, with white-picket fences and dog named Spot type. In fact, the thought of marriage makes me very uncomfortable, and I think always will. In reality, I think more people than will care do admit see the ludicriousness in needing a state's mark of approval for the relationship to be considered "official," or to save a bit on tax returns. Regardless, one thing I've noticed is that a certain level of promised commitment often leads to mistreatment of the partner. It doesn't necessarily have to be as serious as domestic violence, but the realization that this person won't simply leave because there's a legal document keeping the two of you together. In essense, they stay because it's convenient, not because of love, which can lead to bigger problems.

Conclusively, it's entirely possible to have a life-mate without the need for marriage.