When I was a kid, there was a pretty clear image in my mind of finding a special lady, falling in love, having a Jodeci-style wedding and carrying her across the threshold. Many years and a few special ladies later, that grand vision of happy matrimony began to degrade. In fact, most times there seems to be very little to gain by getting married at all.
This is no doubt due to the rise in divorce statistics and the media’s fascination with displaying the absolute worse case outcomes of a failed marriage: vindictive spouses fighting tooth and nail to divvy up children, wealth and anything else the couple built together. Unfortunately the news about a famous couple renewing their vows or celebrating another year together doesn’t get as much traction as a vicious divorce trial. C’est la vie.
But there is a silver lining in the gloomy divorce cloud: those couples that take on marriage in spite of all the obvious reasons not to. Sometimes you have to look a little harder to find them, which is ultimately a good thing if you hope to go down that aisle eventually. It begins to prepare you for the work you’ll also need to do to make marriage work.
Thankfully we have the following couples as inspiration. These seven luminary marriages remind us that 50% of marriages do make it and maybe give us something to aspire to.
Will and Jada
When rumors of their break up spread through the airwaves I didn’t believe it for a second. Will Smith is probably the world’s most likable rapper-turned-actor and Jada has MILF written all over her. Their kids are seem to be so well-adjusted, despite being born into Hollywood elite and budding child-star careers. There’s no doubt that’s because Poppa Will and Momma Jada are so down to earth and not about the BS. No one but haters wants to see these two split. An all lovers want a marriage as close to this as possible.
