My Own Little Way of Sticking it to the Man

Before my wedding, I received a fairly large amount of training on marriage. I received a bachelor's and a master's degree on the subject. I also belong to a church that places great value on marriage and family, so much of my childhood and youth was spent preparing me to become the kind of woman who is a good wife and mother. Therefore, some of my training was taught by professionals whose teachings were based on empirical research and expert analysis, while some was given by laypeople who based their advice mostly on personal experience. But there was one thing they all agreed on and repeated again and again, believing it to be one of the most important things to know in preparation for marriage. It is that, "Who you are before you are married is who you will be after you are married." Marriage doesn't magically change people into their most perfect selves, although some expect that to happen, especially to their partners.

I basically agree with this and wish that more people would believe it before they marry. However, as we know, statistics can lie, and there are usually exceptions to each rule. And I have found one. When teaching the above principle, teachers always, ALWAYS seem to use the example, "If you don't make your bed before you get married, why would you start making your bed after you get married?"

I'll tell you why. "Because you want the house to look nice so when your husband gets home, things are organized, creating a relaxing atmosphere for him after a long day at work," says Miss Berrie, who never made her bed before she was married and always makes her bed, now that she is.