No Such Thing As Ideal Marriage

Northern Advocate, 8 January 1947, Page 4

No Such Thing As Ideal Marriage

(Received 1.15 p.m.)

LONDON, January 7

THERE is no such thing as an ideal marriage, in the opinion of the secretary of the Marriage Guidance Council (Dr Reginald Pestell). He has stated: “Ideal means perfection. I question very seriously whether we ever reach perfection in this life, and it is problematical-whether any two people ever reach that state of perfection in the marriage relationship.”

Other points he made were: Marriage, at best and worst, is a conflict between two opposing forces —affinities on one side against hostilities on the other. Success in marriage depends on two people being able to retain and maintain their individual personalities and, at the same time, make adjustments There would be fewer marriage problems if couples would take a

I more serious view of the engagement period and get to know one another better before marriage. Forty per cent, of marriages in Brit- | ain break down from medical or ; psychological causes and 60 per cent, from economic or social reasons. Causes of failure included dishonesty, deception and lack of understanding about property, work and responsibility.