Hollywood supercouple Courteney Cox & David Arquette announced their separation after 11 years of marriage, an announcement that blindsided the gossip rags.
Cox & Arquette were one of the few Hollywood marriages that actually seemed to work, despite ups and downs & his craptastic attempt to start a pro wrestling career. After 11 years, what could tear them apart?
I guess it saddens me because I’m a huge believer of the idea of “Death do us part” & hate that it’s just so easy to walk away. It’s funny that this news came on the heels of a horrid argument between myself & my own husband. Voices were raised, tears were shed & friends were called for comfort. It was a particularly crappy day for my marriage, but I still wouldn’t want to throw in the towel.
I’m not saying stick it out if you’re living a nightmarish life with adultery and domestic violence, but the idea that you “grew apart” seems strange to me. Of course you’re not the same exact person you were when you said “I do” but a true marriage means you evolve together.
My parents told me that a successful marriage means knowing you won’t always love (or even like) your partner, but you love them enough to learn to fall in love with them again so the good times outweigh the crappy ones. Too many people find it too easy to just walk away.
I think the reason that so many marriages end is that we don’t take the time to get to know ourselves well enough to know what we need in a partner. We get so caught up in the idea that we need anyone beside us that we don’t look for our other half. Because we haven’t found that person who makes us feel complete, it’s easy to just leave.
I hope for the sake of the Arquette/Cox & Aguilera/Bratman marriages, this is a separation that comes with a reconciliation. Sometimes you need to be away from someone to realize how much you need them. If not, may they continue to coparent their children in a healthy manner. In the meantime, we can all wonder how Will Smith & Jada Pinkett-Smith keep it together.
The Misadventures of MHC 