Would you marry the same person again?

Here's something I've been chewing on for a few days...

So, I was reading Reader's Digest the other day (yes, I read Reader's Digest.  It's one of my favorite things).  The March 2010 issue of RD surveyed married people worldwide with the question, "Would you marry the same person again?" To quote the article, "On average, 68 percent of respondents in 15 countries would again say 'I do' to their spouse.'"  I guess 68% is pretty good odds, considering what a train wreck our culture is, in general, when it comes to successful relationships and marital happiness.  Yet, no way would I want to be part of that 32% who regrets the 2nd most important decision of their lives.  (I like to think that people aren't nearly as confusing as they seem, and that their current character is a pretty good indication of what they'll be like in 10, 20, 40, 70+ years.  I imagine God waving all those little red flags and then his head sinking into His hands because He knows we're ignoring the warning signs.)

Months ago a vocabulary word and its definition appeared on my idle computer screen:

nullity |ˈnəlitē|
noun ( pl. -ties)
1 Law an act or thing that is legally void.
• the state of being legally void; invalidity, esp. of a marriage.
2 a thing of no importance or worth.
• nothingness.
ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from French nullité, from medieval Latin nullitas, from Latin nullus ‘none.’

Every time I read this definition, it makes me sad.  When I think about how a marriage can be labeled worthless or meaningless so very easily, my heart hurts.  In no way am I a "marriage is all butterflies in a lush valley surrounded by cotton candy and rainbows" kind of person.  I've witnessed the reality (from various sources) of the absolute nightmare it can be.  Yet, now I see, now I know that it can be the wonderful, lifelong partnership it was meant to be.  (I'll hold out for that.)  Just thinking about how man can nullify something so precious that God ordains, something that leaves a lasting mark, no matter what is on paper, makes a hopeless feeling settle in my gut.  There's some good advice on our wall at home by H. Jackson Brown Jr.: "Marry the right person.  This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery."  I know, I know.  There's almost for sure a few of you getting offended at that statement.  (I have to ask...have you ever been married? Probably not. :P)  Even if you're a believer on fire for God and His kingdom, who loves your spouse with all that you are, what if they don't care?  What if they were great in the beginning, but then morph into a stranger who doesn't want to love anymore?  I think some of my greatest fears stem from this.  But I know that God is good and that it's all in His hands.  Sometimes, I ponder all of this and think it must break His heart to see what we have done with the institution He created.  Marriage is such a reflection of His love toward us and the relationship that we have with Him.  I realize that I still don't understand this dynamic, but hopefully someday it'll make more sense.     

 I wrote way more than this...looks like it's going to be divided into several posts. "The Relationship Rants." Hahaha. :-)