Marriage is like a car, but its COE (certificate of endearment) is for life.
THIS month marks our 10th wedding anniversary. Considering that my husband and I have been a part of each other’s lives for a quarter of a century, being married for a decade doesn’t seem that long. Examinations, national service, overseas studies, major milestones in life, happy moments and sad ones – you name it, we have been through it together. Marriage can be likened to the relationship between you and your car. There are so many models available, but you pick the one that best suits you.
It may not be the best model in the market, just as your spouse may not be the most perfect human specimen (and neither are you, for that matter), but he is the one best suited for you. This is why you picked him, and him, you. I have friends who feel their husbands look like Andy Lau, and I wonder whether the “postage stamps” are on their eyes or mine. I also have friends who think their husbands possess the gift of the gab, but I just wish that they would shut their traps. But they are each other’s cup of tea. It is the same with cars. There are models that leave you convinced nobody will actually buy them, until one pulls up beside you.
The relationship between you and your car, like marriage, takes nurturing. It is a trust that you build. You look after your car well, and in return it serves you faithfully. There are exceptions, like when you end up with a broken-down car or a broken heart despite the best eff orts, but I would like to believe that in most cases, it will end with a “happily ever after”. The more you drive a car, the better you get to know its personality. Even quirks are not perceived as negative traits, but rather they give the car character. Similarly, your spouse’s personality, temperament, habits and preferences define him as a person, and these are the attributes that make him uniquely yours.
All too often, we take our car for granted. We hop in, turn the ignition and it takes us where we want to go. We do not realise how important our car is to us until it needs a visit to the workshop. It is when our car breaks down that we realise how reliant we are on it. It is the same with relationships. We get a wake-up call only when the alarm bell sounds. I still believe in the sanctity of marriage. Once the knot is tied, it is for life. It is not like a car that you can trade in for the latest model. Imagine if we could only own one car in a lifetime – we would take extra care to ensure that it is able to go the distance. Marriage is for life. We should constantly remind ourselves to give it the attention and tender loving care that it deserves.
Lynn asked her hubby what he would be if he was her car, and he answered: “mercedes-amg c63.”
