In America a couple gets divorced every 13 seconds, according to the United States Census Bureau. Additionally, 41 percent of first marriages end in divorce, 60 percent of second marriages end in divorce and 73 percent of third marriages end in divorce. These statistics by themselves are terrible to think about. How is it possible that almost half of first marriages end in divorce? Why do people get married just to get married, and why do people get divorced just because its America and they can? Divorce statistics are extremely alarming and our society should be doing more to help reverse them.

My parents are divorced, and my mom remarried, only to get another divorce. So my parents are contributors to these figures, but I want to make those divorce statistics end with them and not shape my future.

Marriage should be an unbreakable bond. But society has made it breakable. Marriage should be an intimate and close union. Yet society has made it seem perfectly fine for marriage to be open. It has become unemotional and promiscuous. Society has made marriage seem convenient and easy. Marriage should be pure and honest, but it has become unattached and meaningless. Marriage should be a lot of things, but most importantly, marriage should not end in divorce.

Even though my parents are divorced, I was still able to see them equally, but too many children grow up without a relationship with both their mothers and fathers. Three out of four children live with their mother after a divorce. Forty three percent of children do not have a relationship with their fathers at all.

I am also very lucky to have a strong example of marriage in my life, even though my natural parents are divorced. The marriage of my dad and stepmom are a great example for

me but they are a very rare case. Because of them, whenever I marry, I will stay married — through thick and thin. Also, because of their advice and the harsh statistics of reality, I do not want to get married too young. The divorce rate drops 36 percent once a person is over the age of 20 and on top of that, those waiting till the age of 25 are 24 percent less likely to get divorced. I will not rush into marriage just because it’s the easiest thing to do. I want to know that the person I’m going to marry will stay by me “in sickness and in health, in rich and in poor, for better or for worse, till death do us part.”

Also, Couples should not live together before they are married because then there is no real incentive to get married. My dad and stepmom set that example for me as well. They did not live together until marriage, and because of that, I have been raised to believe that I should do the same. Living together prior to marriage increases the chance of getting divorced by almost 40 percent. You can decrease the chance of getting divorced by just waiting to live together. Why would you not try to do that?

Society should begin to emphasize that the decision to get married should be close to the most important decision people ever make. It seems so simple to prevent divorce in a lot of cases and sometimes it really is simple. Marriage is a beautiful matrimony that should be unending. My first marriage will not end in divorce. I want my first marriage to be my only marriage. I never want divorce to be even an option. I want a lot of things but most importantly I want to mean it when I say that my husband will be my one and only husband.

Marriage should be a bond that will not break. A bond that can handle even the thickest of thick. A bond that can handle the sickest of sick. A bond that can handle even the poorest of poor. A bond that can handle worst of the worst. Forever.

“Till death do us part.”