My wife and I will be celebrating 11 years of marriage this July. (Or is it June? Oh, drats!) All I can say is getting married is one of the best choices I have made in life.
I know it would be pointless for me to cite reasons like emotional support and companionship to those who don’t believe in love and marriage. What I am doing instead is to list selfish reasons for you to do so.
That’s right. Getting married doesn’t have to be a selfless act of caring for another person for the rest of your life; it can also be pretty darn beneficial to you too. For starters, there is a wealth of evidence showing how married people are generally healthier than their single counterparts.
Researchers have discovered that those with lifelong partners are more likely to live longer and feel younger.
There is a host of factors behind this, but I think the most compelling one for all you hotblooded males would be that married people get to perform, ahem, high-intensity interval training a lot more than single people. We married men are pretty healthy…
Next, being married is good for your finances. Research has found that married men earn more than their single peers – probably because they know they have to work harder to feed their families.
But besides earning more, having a partner also means greater cost savings. You no longer have to worry about stockpiling toilet paper, instant noodles, rice and other essentials. Just split the expenses with your wife.
So, spend your money wisely – like on a diamond proposal ring. Don’t be silly and pay thousands of dollars for gym memberships (EnergyOne gyms are so much more affordable than others) or attend seminars by “wealth gurus”.
Lastly, having a significant other also means having someone you can irritate every day. I can’t even begin to describe how much joy this brings. This was what transpired last year when I was watching the Champions League.
“Why are you setting the alarm for 3am?” the wife asked.
“I’m getting up to catch the final!” I exclaimed.
“Who’s playing?”
“Liverpool and Tottenham. Big match! The last time Liverpool won we were at university!”
“Wait. You told me before that Liverpool haven’t won the league title in 30 years. Now you’re saying the last time they won the Champions League was 14 years ago. Why on earth do you keep supporting such a lousy team?”
I took a deep breath. Ah, yes – marriage can be great for anger management, too.
It also helps you to think on your feet. “Look, you haven’t gotten more attractive since we met 15 years ago, and the last time you made breakfast for me was two years ago. Why do I keep staying married to you?”
I thought her answer would have been: “True love.”
Instead it was a night on the sofa.
