Are you fit for marriage?

I know a lot of people who are not happy in their marriages, and definitely more boring people after they got married than before.

I know a lot who are divorced and bitter, or even worse, sad. It doesn't matter whether the marriages are arranged or the partners chosen by each other - both sides of the aisle present candidates richly unfit for marriage. Clearly, there aren't that many formulae that work these days for a happy marriage, but I've noticed it is a certain "type" of people that indeed find marital bliss. You're not going to change the type of person you are, so you can delve into this simple set of questions to figure out if you are fit just for the wedding (which all your noble "qualifications" are good at determining), or indeed for the marriage that follows.

10. Are you getting married for any reason other than because it seems like the "right" thing to do?

9. Is your mate the person you would love to hang out with, no matter what life presents?

8. Do you have infinite patience and love for children, even at their irritating worst?

7. Do you have a sense of humour that peaks when life is hardest?

6. Do you know how to let your partner learn from his/her mistakes without saying "I told you so"?

5. Do you know to communicate how strongly you feel about something without getting emotional?

4. Is it important for you to really enjoy good sex?

3. Do you have a reserve tank of energy for emergencies that come up daily?

2. Are you a fun person that others would want to have around?

1. Are you crazy about your life, your friends, their lives, your family, their families, little ones, a packed schedule and the sheer madness of normal life and yet able to get away from it when you need a moment of quiet?

If you answered NO to any of the above, you might very well be fit for the wedding, but still unfit for marriage. My advice to you - don't get married. It's that simple. If you do, and life sucks, please stop complaining to others. Your marriage is what followed after your wedding, not mine!

On a positive note, don't buy into this crap that every marriage has its ups and downs. It is usually the smart ones that have most of the ups and the dumb ones that have most of the downs!