Understanding Marriage Through the Cultivation of a Beautiful Life

Many people enter into marriage without first understanding their own identity and cultivating beauty through creative work. As anyone in a long-term relationship will tell you, marriage requires far more than mere commitment; it demands, deep down, an acceptance of one’s essential self—one’s dreams and hopes, passions and flaws. Before one can fully understand or enter into a marriage, it is necessary to have a well-defined sense of self and a cultivated life of beauty and creative work.

Without understanding one’s own complexity, marriage struggles in its attempt to achieve a balance between two distinct identities. In dating or young love, the discrepancy between two people does not become detectable until much further along in the relationship, when complacency sets in. In marriage, this discrepancy reveals itself immediately upon signing the official documents. Suddenly, two distinct persons with different needs, desires, and lifestyles must unite together under one roof to become something new altogether.

The merging of two lives cannot occur without some past effort by both parties to discover their individual gifts, entertain their passions, and create something beautiful out of their love for one another. A creative endeavor, whether it be music composition, prose writing, pottery-molding, etc., can help to develop and show off one's skills to the other person, thus providing proof of worthiness. The successful pursuance of these artistic and intellectual endeavors also instills a mutual admiration that attracts the couple to one another.

When both halves of the partnership understand the beauty ingrained in identity, they can be sure that they are ready to live and love together as equals. Subsequently, appreciation is passed freely and more warmly as each recognises achievements in the other. This preventative measure ultimately aims to safeguard the relationship from future frustrations. As a marriage based upon respect grows, so too does the appreciation come more freely; reflective of both one's own understanding and acceptance of theirs and a partner’s individuality.

Creativity is, of course, a fundamental aspect of all relationships. Anything which can bring ease and prospering the bond can only be a positive factor. Without creativity in a marital union, monotony is sure to follow and lead to feelings of stagnation and unhappiness. To stimulate one another with art and thought creates an idea of comfort and nurturance beyond what can be accomplished through anything else.

In simpler terms, it is impossible to find true love and have a successful marriage without first exploring and embracing one's inner-self. To cultivate a life of beauty is essentially just another way of saying to keep the sacred flame of their individual spirits alive – without dulling it in any way. In addition, two people must make it clear to each other who they are and what makes them unique, even if the answer is different to the answers the other person has to those same questions. Without this knowledge of self, there can be no genuine unison between two souls, and the hold on the relationship will soon be broken.

It can take years to fully understand who you are and decide what you want in life, and most people go into marriage without having entirely sorted out these issues. But when two people are deeply compatible and accept one another unconditionally, then marriage will work if they both make the effort to stay true to themselves and remain creative. Thus, before committing to a lifelong companionship with another, take the time to evaluate your goals and dreams, create something beautiful and explore the depths of your identity. Only then you will have the relevant sense of security and trust necessary to have a fulfilling marriage.