What does a vow mean to you?

[jimnyc]

I, James, take you Diana, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.

I, James, take you, Diana, to be my wife, my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live.

I James, take you Diana to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live.

In the presence of God and these our friends I take thee to be my wife, promising with Divine assistance to be unto thee a loving and faithful husband so long as we both shall live.

I, James, take you, Diana, to be my friend, my lover, the mother of my children and my wife. I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you, for all eternity.

I, James, choose you Diana to be my wife, to respect you in your successes and in your failures, to care for you in sickness and in health, to nurture you, and to grow with you throughout the seasons of life.

I, James, take you, Diana, to be my partner, loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know. I eagerly anticipate the chance to grow together, getting to know the woman you will become, and falling in love a little more every day. I promise to love and cherish you through whatever life may bring us.

Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you, For where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. And where you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord do with me and more if anything but death parts you from me.

I've never turned during bad times or when you had financial difficulty. I did my best to be there for you when you were ill. I'm guilty of not always showing it properly but I've always loved and cherished you. My plan was forever.

I may not have brought home riches, been a hero, did all my tasks... I probably could have been kinder at times, and I probably could have been gentler at others. I was wrong in so many ways but I was right in one. I've always loved you. I've always expected to be with you forever.

It was special to me that we were such good friends in addition to husband/wife. Throughout good and bad times I looked at it as being in it together. We dealt with everything as a couple. Going to bed with you angry at me was so much better than going to bed with you nowhere around. I can't laugh, cry or cherish you if these vows meant nothing.

 

[Annie]

I've never turned during bad times or when you had financial difficulty. I did my best to be there for you when you were ill. I'm guilty of not always showing it properly but I've always loved and cherished you. My plan was forever.

I may not have brought home riches, been a hero, did all my tasks... I probably could have been kinder at times, and I probably could have been gentler at others. I was wrong in so many ways but I was right in one. I've always loved you. I've always expected to be with you forever.

It was special to me that we were such good friends in addition to husband/wife. Throughout good and bad times I looked at it as being in it together. We dealt with everything as a couple. Going to bed with you angry at me was so much better than going to bed with you nowhere around. I can't laugh, cry or cherish you if these vows meant nothing.

Been there, done that. I meant it, perhaps he did too, in his limited way. I chose someone far above me intellectually, I thought that made him superior. Problem is, while intellectually gifted, he was narcissitic, not my diagnosis, but the result of court ordered evaluation. Over 14 years and 3 children, the most telling conversation occurred after I filed for divorce and he asked and I agreed to go for a walk and talk:

He: I never meant for things to get this bad

Me: I don't understand how they did

He: Did you ever think that we should have children Now, not when we did? Woudn't that be better?

Me: Huh?

He: I wasn't ready then, now perhaps I am.

Me: Huh?

He: I wasn't ready for kids at 25, now that I'm 35 I am. Wouldn't that be better?

Me: Huh?

He: I'm ready to be a father now.

Me: You already are.

He: No, now I am ready to be a father.

Me: You already are and have a vasectomy.

He: I'm so confused.

Postscript: He filed for divorce two weeks ago. He has a 5 year old and 18 month old. His kids with me are 20, 22, and 24. His wife is claiming psychological abuse.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

I've never turned during bad times or when you had financial difficulty. I did my best to be there for you when you were ill. I'm guilty of not always showing it properly but I've always loved and cherished you. My plan was forever.

I may not have brought home riches, been a hero, did all my tasks... I probably could have been kinder at times, and I probably could have been gentler at others. I was wrong in so many ways but I was right in one. I've always loved you. I've always expected to be with you forever.

It was special to me that we were such good friends in addition to husband/wife. Throughout good and bad times I looked at it as being in it together. We dealt with everything as a couple. Going to bed with you angry at me was so much better than going to bed with you nowhere around. I can't laugh, cry or cherish you if these vows meant nothing.

This too shall pass, jimmy.

 

[roomy]

If only message board relationships were as simple.

There are always at least two sides to every story, and both have their fair share of bullshit.

 

[Joz]

....There are always at least two sides to every story, and both have their fair share of bullshit.

That isn't entirely true.
There are two in a relationship; therefore two makes a relationship work, or two cause, or at least contribute, to the demise. But there are cases where, in fact, there is an innocent party.