Billy came rushing in to tell me of his marriage. He was all excited, as his fiancée agreed to the union.
"We'll have lots of children, a big beautiful house and wonderful in-laws to help us in tymes of need. It couldn't be more perfect."
"Billy, I don't mean to burst your bubble, any. I'm really happy for you. I think it's wonderful that you've ironed out your differences and have come to realize that both of you can live with them."
Billy looked at me uncomfortable then. "What are you getting at, Heather?"
"You did discuss the differences in your likes and dislikes, haven't you?"
"Oh yes, and we're a perfect match. There's no problem there."
"Glad to hear it. Now there's one last thing to make a sure thing certain. That is, if you want a life long marriage to last."
Billy looked puzzled at me then. "How? We've discussed everything."
"Are you so sure about that?"
"I don't understand. What more is there?"
"Do you literally trust your fiancée with your life?"
"What? That's crazy. What has that to do with anything?"
"Just answer the question. If the answer is an unhesitating yes, you have nothing to worry about. If on the other hand it's not, you'd better do a diagnostics check on this marriage. You'll have to use your mind, and not your heart, upon examining this one."
Billy sat down, his expression one of puzzlement. "I never thought of that one. Of course I wouldn't trust her with my life. She's too frail, and she's not strong enough mentally or physically to save my life if the tyme arose."
"Okay, the key there is she's not capable mentally. Why? What's really wrong here? This inability is a reflection of something wrong. In the future, near or far, this 'frail' disposition will rip your marriage apart. Cut it short now, or accept the consequences."
"I don't understand. She loves me. How can this make any difference?"
"For how long will she continue to love you? When tymes get rough, and in every marriage they do, will she stand by you? The act of saving your life in tymes of need is not just in the literal, but mental-spiritual."
"What do you mean diagnostics check?"
"You will have to examine everything you know of your fiancée. Keep breaking it down until you get to the core. The source of why this is. You can lie to me and everyone else. Don't ever lie to yourself. You need not tell anyone what you've done, the results you came to. Should this change your mind in the forthcoming marriage, you can give your true reason, or another to soften the blow if you prefer another. I do know, based upon personal experience, that the key to a successful marriage is that when all else fails, trusting the other with your life will ensure the marriage will survive, as love will not die then.