Many of our favorite old fairy tales have thisending: "So they were married and lived happilyever after." And this is what many of us would liketo think about marriage . . . happily ever after. However, we allknow from divorce statistics and the brokenhearted letters toadvice columns that many couples do not achieve marital happiness.There may be more divorces today, but that doesn't necessarilymean that there is more unhappiness in marriage. We haveno idea how many couples one or two generations ago stayedtogether because it was impossible for them to separate. Peoplewho are ready to get married have been dreaming some privatedreams of love and happiness. The movies and love storieswould have us believe that happy marriage is something handedas a gift to us on our wedding day. Actually, a happy marriage issomething to be created together through many years of loving,caring, nurturing, and "hanging in there" through good timesand bad.Marriage is a beautiful, life-consuming relationship. Otherthan your relationship to God, marriage is the most importantrelationship you will ever have. It is worth all of the time, energy,sacrifice, and devotion you can put into it.