Colours of life - Choosing a life partner

Colours of life - Choosing a life partner

Choosing the right partner for marriage is so important an enterprise
that Shakespeare called it 'a world without end bargain'! It demands
the greatest prudence and caution. It is no place for cutting corners
or taking things for granted.

When selecting a marriage partner, one should look for certain
qualities to ensure happiness in marriage:

Religious compatibility: Religion colours one's whole outlook on
life. It provides incentives for much of your conduct. The greatest
treasure any person possesses is her/ his faith. With it one is rich,
without it poor. Where the faith is held in common, there is the
strongest possibility and guarantee of a successful marriage.

Character: Closely related to religion is moral character. Character
is basic among the qualities to be sought in a partner. It includes
disposition, temperament, attitudes and ethical standards. It is
vastly more important than appearance, social status and wealth. Moral
character penetrates to the roots of one's being. It is the
wellspring. Where issue important traits such as unselfishness,
honesty, kindness and integrity.

Health: Health of mind and body is another important requisite for a
happy marriage. It is vital for the proper discharge of one's duties
in marriage. When you marry you certainly do not want to marry a
doctor's bill.

Intellectual compatibility: Both the partners should be intellectually
compatible, so that there can be congenial companionship, sharing of
interests, exchange of thoughts and ideas.

Housekeeping: The partner you choose must find pride in the home, love
children, have a desire to find happiness in the family circle and to
make the home the centre of all activity. A good housekeeper is the
best home-maker.

Income: When you get married you cannot live on fresh air and
sunshine, for, while poverty enters by the door, love flies out of the
window. Therefore, when choosing a partner you must see to it that
your future spouse is both industrious and thrifty. It is said that a
fool and his money are soon parted.

A good disposition: A good disposition lubricates all family
relationships and makes a marriage tick. It means unselfishness,
tolerance, a forgiving spirit, empathy, understanding, consideration
for others, etc. If both parties have a good disposition they will
easily make all the adjustments which marital life requires.

Young people who contemplate marriage would do well to keep these
points in mind. If you do not make the right choice, your future
partner, instead of being the better half, will turn out to be your
bitter half. If you have had a frustrating courtship do not go ahead
with the marriage, or else, your fate will be like that of a certain
young woman, who despite a long and unsatisfying courtship, decided to
get married to the young man she was courting. At the altar, on the
wedding day, the celebrant asked her, "Do you take N. ..for better or
worse?" The young woman replied: "To be honest with you, Father, he
could not be worse and there is no hope of him being better, so I take
him as he is!" Within a short while, however, she ended up applying
for an annulment.