Member-only story
Marriage is Easy
According to a sociologist and a writer.
Two women discussed marriage before a live audience of which I was a member. One a sociologist, the other a writer. But this wasn’t a talk on science or craft. They kind of stumbled onto the topic and fell into elation over a shared perspective.
The sociologist asked the newlywed writer how married life was treating her. It was almost as an aside. The way you ask someone how they’re doing out of polite reflex, as the extension of a greeting. You don’t really expect them to answer with much depth.
We’re talking about a writer, however. Someone to whom language is art and every thought is examined and there is no topic void of potential story. Plus, this was an interview of sorts. The writer did not offer a generic, “it’s great,” response.
She talked about not thinking of herself as someone who would derive such pleasure from marriage. Not from what she’d heard about the institution or the warped perception she’d developed through experiences in tainted love. Certainly not from the cautionary tales she’d witnessed. Yet, she enjoys it more than she’s ever enjoyed anything. Not the institution per se, but the devotion. The refuge.
The writer gushed over what it means to her to know that no matter how many cities she visits and how long she’s out on…
