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HUMOR IN MARRIAGE
Kathlyn Q. Barrozo
Class of 1991, University of Santo Tomas
B.S. Medical Technology
With the way the holy state of matrimony has been placed in jeopardy nowadays, one can only wonder why
this is so. How many marriages have ended up in painful separations, divorces, or annulments? Does this prove
that the institution of marriage has ceased to be considered a sacred union that no man can so readily break
apart?
The many unfortunate people who have come out of messy marriage disintegrations seem to experience
certain levels of disillusionment right after. They justify their decisions to break off from their marriages with
certain reasons that seem to be a constant refrain for many failed relationships: we were too young to know
better; we grew apart; we simply drifted away from each other; we were psychologically incompatible.
I used to be half of a pair before my husband died a few years ago. We had our ups and downs, our “You’re
simply impossible” moments, and our moments of insanity. But what I would never exchange my marriage for
anything in the world is the fact that despite our many issues and disparities, even in the darkest moments of
our relationship, my late husband was the only man who could ever make me laugh out loud with his quirks
and idiosyncrasies. Like one time when he got really mad at me for something I did that I no longer remember
the root cause of, in his anger he kicked a house post and ended up with the webbing between his big toe and
his first phalanx torn. And of course, like most males, he felt weak at the sight of blood and had to lie down for
some moments and be given first aid for the bleeding. At the end of the day, he totally forgot what he had been
mad about because of the pain. Or the time when he was incessantly probing on his big toe (again!) for an
ingrown nail, and ended up having outpatient surgery in the hospital because his big toe had grown enormous.
I told him much, much later that we would have spent a lot less had he gone for a pedicure service instead of
trying to do it himself. The cleaning, I mean.
Now, my husband has lain in eternal rest for close to six years, but it is the moments of humor that he has given
me that I shall never forget. Although he has left me, his humor stays.
My advice to other couples is: always find humor in your marriage, no matter how inconsequential or
intrinsically unfunny. Who knows, that might go a long way in saving your relationship yet.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1.
How can humor save a marriage? Be as specific as you need to be.
2.
Why do marriages often fail?
3.
Will you marry someone who makes you laugh? Why or why not?
4.
How can issues be resolved using humor in marriage? Elaborate on your answer/s.
5.
Can you name successfully-married couples? What do you think keeps their marriages strong?