There is some good news out there

Research shows marriage is a plus during trying times.

After at least eight months of dealing with COVID-19 and the many ways our lives have been put on hold, it’s time for a little good news.
    It’s regarding the state of marriage and there is some good news on that front. While COVID may have forced delays in wedding ceremonies this year due to crowd restrictions, some research is showing how important marriage can be in times like these.
    I saw part of an interview a few weeks ago with Dr. Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia. His research suggests married couples have proven much more resilient in dealing with this virus—and all that comes with it—than their single peers.
    His research found that 40% or more of married people say they are less stressed than their single friends. That’s not to say there is no stress; it’s just that married people have a higher rate of dealing with it better.
    Married people report fewer feelings of loneliness.
    And, Wilcox also believes the pandemic is making many couples develop a new appreciation for their spouse, the merits of staying married and how much they depend on each other—in helping to care for older parents, tutoring the kids, running to the store or just listening.
    Wilcox disagrees with the news reporting that the divorce rate is skyrocketing. He cited real time statistics from several states that show lower rates of divorce. It wasn’t surprising to him that journalists have just speculated that divorce is up during COVID. He also says that it may be more difficult, due to restrictions, for couples to get a divorce now, but that doesn’t mean it would be higher. Maybe that’s giving them some time to reevaluate.
    As we enter Thanksgiving, we must be thankful about research like this. Marriage should be celebrated. Families are everything—that’s been magnified 100 times in 2020.

 

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