There are certain types of things that you have to renew. Driver's license, a nurse has to renew her nursing license, IT people have to constantly keep up to date with there certifications. You even have two year cell phone contracts, cable or dish contracts. Now, on some of these, you can actually allow the contract to expire, and then you have the choice. Do I renew or do I look for something better?

So what about a marriage license? Go with me here. Let's say that you meet the "love of your life". You are so excited about getting married. But, to make it tax worthy and all that jazz, you have to attain a marriage license. Well, since you must get this thing any darn way, how about we add to it. Instead of a marriage license being a firm piece of paper that can only be dissolved via divorce, let's take the time to sit down with the lawyers and build up a three or five year contract. In this contract, both parties will agree that they will abide by the contract stipulations. You can even put penalties, such as if one party has an affair, the other can legally opt out of the divorce without fear of losing the shirt off there back.

My point is this. If you had a three year contract, and by the time you got to the end of the contract you wanted out, this could actually be a time, money, and emotional saver. I'm not saying that it would work, but the theory of it is something to think about.

Lastly, this is not an idea I came up with. But it did make me think about the possibilities (positive and negative) if you did have to renew your marriage license. Ponder on it mingleoids.

HAHAHAHA!!!...here, we also have to have a roadworthy machinery test done each year prior to renewal of car/vehicle registration...

I can just see the roadworthy test for marriages...

Exactly. At the end of the three year term, you have to see a "Marriage Expert" who then determines if you CAN renew.

Yes and they should license people before they are allowed to raise children.

Geeez...is that like leaving your contractual rights up to a third party?

I like the old pagan ways...a year and a day....every year and a day...evaluated, discussed, a third party brought in if required...and a decision made.

Hmmmm someone might have talked some sense into me then.

Hell. They should evaluate everyone to determine IF THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED to have kids.

Ahhh Josie....we just did what everyone else did...and what was expected of us...I understand you have a strong christian faith, that too can really cause some confusion...

...in that you are kind of meant to be there for life, and do as you are told!

(not cristicising your faith...rather accepting the australian culture and expectations we were stuck with, around marriage)

nah, perhaps for civil unions, but my marriage vows were until death us do part, no expiration date or pre determined and universal standard of time

I like that people have to WORK at a divorce, wouldnt like it if people could take such a vow of commitment and then be given a strictly time based out,,,

So you are a widow?...I'm sorry, that would have been devastating..

I'm thinking there should be a psychiatric evaluation before the marriage license is issued. Because they have to be crazy.

Best comment ever.

no, not a widow, but 'released' based upon a type of contractual BREACH, where FORSAKING all others didnt occur and therefore VOIDED the rest......

You stated having to actually "WORK at a divorce". See, I find that whole statement to be troubling. I know what you are implying, but still....why should you have to work at a divorce? Going through all that misery, and heartache. Losing sleep and stressing out. A contract could (Notice I am not saying that it would), but it could help eleviate some of that. And to me, that could be a good thing.

i think its a good thing for promises to be taken more seriously , than just saying OH WELL, changed my mind, would not be a good thing

I think its good to deter people from breaking their promises by not making it too 'easy' and 'quick',,,,

Miss harmony, you have me thinking, actually this whole topic does...

Did you 'work' at remaining in the marriage? Did you 'work' at the divorce?

I kind of get where you are coming from...although I have to add, it is harder to get out of a marriage...ie divorce...than it is to get into one.

A blood test, a license, and then whammo you are in...you guys have drive through marriages!..(Las Vegas).

Divorce, division of property, assets, children...

it is rarely as simple as I don't wanna be married anymore to you, here's half of everything, and half of the time with the kids, and we shall halve the financial costs of the kids till they are adults....sign here....see you every second monday.

yes, the first time, we worked hard at the marriage , we didnt have to work so hard at the divorce because we were in agreement, one paper and a visit to the courthouse and it was done

the second time, I worked hard at the marriage, he was like a rock hoping someone would turn his life into a fantasy, this divorce is hard work because we are not in agreement and we are on different continent, dealing with different jurisdiction, different laws


I wouldnt be opposed to stricter pre requisites to marriage though, perhaps starting with making it an actual CRIME to commit adultery and abandon biological children without proper paperwork recording such relinquishing of rights,,,

Thankyou for your raw honesty....it isn't always easy....and we all have different stories.

Ha ha , that's a good one