Many women today have some misconceptions about marriage. This is entirely understandable. Our society constantly fills the minds of girls with fantasies about marriage. Cinderella, the Little Mermaid, and Princess Barbie commercials begin this work as early as the age of four. As women grow older, Meg Ryan movies, prom, and homecoming take over the work. Because of these things, many women expect marriage will be a wonderful union through which they will be showered with love, attention, and affection (not to mention high margin material goods) in exchange for… frankly… very little. I mean, what exactly did Cinderella do to capture the attention of the Prince anyway? To be precise, nothing at all! In fact… she was just mopping the floor!

It is entirely understandable why Cinderella (and countless other fantasies that corrupt the reality of marriage) are so popular. The message tells girls that for doing nothing at all, they will be swept away by a perfect, charming man who will take care of them the rest of their lives. Does that sound realistic to you? I didn’t think so.

I know it’s a buzzkill, but it’s unrealistic to think of marriage as a ticket to a lifetime of happiness and security. The sheer happiness derived from such a thought can make it hard to face the truth. The truth is: marriage is a marketplace. It is no different than shopping for a car. While this thought may not feel as good as watching Cinderella, it’s the truth. The sooner you face this truth, the more likely you’ll be happier in the long run.

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