BY TOM RAPSAS

For the past 20-plus years, my wife and I have been besties with the same group of six married couples. At one point, we all lived and raised our families in the same little town on the Jersey Shore.

As the years have passed, all but one pair has moved from this small town. Three of the couples remained in the same general vicinity, one husband and wife relocated to the Maryland Eastern Shore, another to the Charleston-area of South Carolina. Yet, while the distance between us has grown, one thing hasn’t changed. A quarter of a century later, we’re all still good friends—and we’re all still happily married.

Studies show a direct link between marriage and happiness.

Why do some people stay happily married and others—not? In the book Purpose: What Evolution and Human Nature Imply About the Meaning of our Existence, author Samuel T. Wilkinson claims that it’s no accident that many of us choose to both get married and stay married. It’s part of our chemical makeup. In his words:

We could be, in fact, genetically predisposed to getting married and making our marriages work—and for good reason. Wilkinson cites a study that showed “marital happiness was the most powerful predictor of general life satisfaction and mental health.” In fact, “married men and women reported more happiness and less depression than their counterparts who were unmarried.”

The benefits of marriage don’t stop at more happiness and less depression. “Other benefits include better physical health, a more satisfying sex life, and greater health.” Wilkinson states that “there’s something about the commitment between two loving partners, that produces feelings of happiness and well-being.”

Of course, marriage doesn’t work for everyone. It may be an anomaly that the six couples I mentioned at the top of this story are still together. It’s also important to point out that marriage isn’t always a bed of roses. Wilkinson explains that “even supposedly happily married couples all have their moments, days, or even seasons of difficulty and disappointment.” Yet, research shows that “most couples that stay together are happy most of the time.”

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/wakeupcall/2024/03/is-marriage-the-key-to-a-happier-life/