The End of a Marriage Does Not Necessarily Mean Failure

Arizona residents who have either ended a marriage or are contemplating ending a marriage should not equate doing so with a “failed marriage.” In fact, divorce is now so common in today’s society, that one half of all married couples end up being divorced by their 20th anniversary. That is why the negative term “failure” should not be used to describe divorce. Instead, one should think of a marriage that ends before death as something that didn’t work out as planned and now offers a chance for both parties to move to a new level of personal growth.

One clinical psychologist points to three major factors that have contributed to the rise in divorce rates in this century:

• The fact that people are living a lot longer;
• the fact that women are more educated, have access to contraception and earn higher incomes; and
• the fact that society’s values and the law have changed, including the formation of a no-fault divorce.

Society generally accepts a divorce in some cases, like infidelity, abuse and addiction, but society may want to withhold judgment as to what’s the “right” or “wrong” reason to divorce in cases beyond just these. In certain circumstances, getting a divorce is a positive and courageous act that more often than not is in the best interests of oneself, the other spouse and the children.

Although emotions usually run high during the end of a marriage, a divorce in and of itself is not always a sad occasion because sometimes, it is really the best thing for both people. If a marriage isn’t working, shouldn’t a person be free to find a situation that does work?

Source: The Huffington Post, “Why We Shouldn’t See Divorce As a ‘Failed’ Marriage,” Vicki Larson, Oct. 2, 2012