The world can be yours if you let your heart believe in ever after...

I still believe in happily ever after.

Maybe that’s naïve of me, but I do. For the past two weeks, it feels like I’ve been bombarded with messages about how prevalent divorce is in this country. Even at church, where the (awesome) sermon was about having a Biblical marriage, the stats were there. One in three American marriages ends in divorce. One documentary/news program that was on in the locker room at my gym last night went on about how couples should prepare for divorce before marriage -- both emotionally and financially -- to save themselves the extra heartache when it all inevitably goes down the commode. Yesterday, I came across an article from Redbook about the Ashley Madison web site. Let’s just say that I only thought the television commercials grossed me out (“Life is short. Have an affair.”). The article absolutely disgusted me, as did this book, which talks about how monogamy is unrealistic. (I’m gonna be a fussy old Southern lady and say that the girl in that book is a hussy.)

It’s been two weeks of marital doom and gloom and I’ve had enough. ENOUGH. I don’t know why I’m so sensitive about it -- I’m not even dating anyone and am, therefore, nowhere near marriage. Regardless, I’d like to buy out a bunch of billboards across the country and, big as Dallas, post a Bill Pullman line from Sleepless in Seattle: “Marriage is hard enough without bringing such low expectations into it.” (Then again, I’d probably get sued by Tri-Star, but whatever.)

ANYWAY.

I know that marriage isn’t a fairy tale. One doesn’t get to put on her best Pnina Tornai*, exchange rings, and do a not-as-surprising-as-you’d-like-thanks-to-the-YouTubes rendition of “Thriller” with her wedding party and then just ride off into the sunset. There’s conflict. And there are ups and there are downs. The preacher man (or lady) even gives a bit of a spoiler in the “for better or for worse” department. I believe that even the worst of the “for worses” can be managed. Is said management fun and games? No. Is there going to be pain and hurt involved? Of course. But just like the best friendships, things come out stronger on the other side -- at least that’s been my experience.

Before anyone can accuse me of living my life in a bubble or point out my naïvete, I have to have my little booya moment: My parents divorced when I was seven years old and it, to use a word that I wasn’t even allowed to use in junior high, sucked. Big time. In fact, I’m still feeling the effects at age 31.

But despite all of this, yes, I still believe in happily ever after. I still believe that people can get married and stay that way. Both my parents remarried and have remained that way for over twenty years, which is longer than both their first marriages. For what it’s worth, negative effects or no, I don’t even want to imagine my life without my stepdad and stepmom in it. Past experience has proven that things can always happen, but I truly believe that my family is fully and completely intact. Forever.

I want the same thing for my own marriage someday. I will have the same thing for my own marriage someday. Why? Because I’m a believer going in. And you’re not going to convince me otherwise, so don’t even try. The same thing goes with Santa Claus.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and look at fabric for the Giselle Halloween costume I’ve been planning for four years.

What?

This is what single girls do with their time.

I think. Er, believe.

* I, Amanda Mason, do solemnly swear that I will never wear a Pnina Tornai. Not in a million, zillion years.