The essence of marriage, in these 5 sentences

1. Marriage is not the end of love; it is a community of interests and risks

Legally, marriage is primarily an economic contract.

Shared property
Shared debts
Raising children together
Supporting parents together
Love is the ticket to enter; stability of interests is the key to longevity.

2. The fundamental nature of marriage is cooperation, not dependence

A good marriage is two people working together:

You handle the chores, I cover the gaps
When you're tired, I step in
When you're sick, I take care
It's not about one person supporting or begging the other, but about 1+1 > 2.

3. Passion fades, but habits and responsibility are what last

In youth, love is intense and all-consuming; in middle age, it’s just daily routines.
What truly sustains marriage is not infatuation, but:

Reliability
Loyalty
Not betraying
Not giving up when problems arise

4. The truth about marriage: accepting imperfection, not trying to change the other

Looking for a perfect person is itself a mistake.
Marriage is:

Seeing flaws and still willing to go through life together
Having conflicts but not hurting each other to the extreme
Arguing, but also making up

5. The highest form of marriage is mutual fulfillment

It’s not about mutual consumption or blame.
It’s about:

You becoming better, and I becoming better too
Together, two people are easier, more secure, and more confident than alone

To sum it up in one sentence (most insightful):

Marriage is finding a reliable teammate,
Together facing storms, living life, and passing the days.
Love is the icing on the cake; stability, integrity, and responsibility are the foundation.