LOVE and COMPATIBILITY

LOVE and COMPATIBILITY 

Eileen Renders

Have you ever wondered why couples fall in love and get married, have children, purchase a home, and then divorce? This is a very difficult situation to be in. Could it have been prevented? Love and acceptance are two different emotions. We can accept someone into our lives, such as in friendships, co-workers, relatives, or neighbors. However, these relationships are not always accompanied by feelings of love.

When couples marry, it is quite natural to assume that love and acceptance brought them to the altar. Sadly, many couples find that they do love their spouses; however, after a couple of years of married life, they cannot accept many of their ways, beliefs, habits, and faults.

Fulton J Sheen believes many “fall in love” because of physical attraction. That is sexual attraction that is similar to what dogs might feel. Love with humans is meant to evolve through intellectual, emotional, physiological, and spiritual compatibilities. Marriage is for procreation, it is a sacrament, and a lifetime commitment.

An engagement period is encouraged, time to see how goals, perspectives, faith, and agreements line up, agreeing with one another in expectations, readiness for responsibilities, having children, and more. Often, however, many of us have spent more time pursuing an education and working toward our career goals than in ensuring that our life partner in marriage and I are ready for marriage, and in agreement with accepting the vows related to the sacrament of marriage.