Why get married?

I was having a thought-provoking conversation with Sy yesterday. We talked on a range of topics, one of which was marriage. Why do people get married? Do they do so because they love each other? Do they get hitched because it is the next step after being in a bf-gf relationship for some time? Do they tie the knot because they see that the partner can fulfil their deficiencies?

Do people get married because of the right reasons? If their decision has been deemed right, who can explain the global phenomenon of the increasing divorce rate?

Singaporeans are brought up in a systematic manner. After completing primary school, the logical stop would have to be secondary school education. After which, junior colleges are the preferred choices so that one could end up with a degree. We apply this systematic approach in relationships. After a couple of years into a relationship, the next step would be registering for marriage, looking for houses and planning for a wedding. Add a couple of years more, and it is logical to expect kids. It seems like a A-B-C instructional manual for couples, but do we question the convention? Or are we just following the blind because other people do so?

We feel incomplete at times. It could range from a lack of security to being lonely or feeling hot-tempered. It is those times when one looks into a partner and gets into a relationship just to feel complete. But that is the not the right recipe of a lasting relationship. For getting it to last, one must feel at ease with oneself, accept who he or she really is, before getting into a relationship.

Today, I asked myself. Marriage is a lifetime deicision. It's not as simple as buying food or clothes. Yet how much time do we allocate to ponder on this big issue?