Monogamy.

Yesterday morning as I was driving to work, I heard on NPR the speculation that the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, is allegedly having an affair. But his wife, Carla Bruni, isn’t a victim; she is involved in an extramarital affair as well. Apparently for the French [as stated on NPR], there is nothing immoral about adultery, and it is actually expected and accepted. It got me thinking about this world we live in. Why does anyone in this world want to marry? If I weren’t a member of the Church, I would probably agree with Carla Bruni’s notorious remark that she is “easily bored in monogamy.” This isn’t to say that I’m bored in monogamy now - I am receiving the most joy and satisfaction being wed more than ever before! But if I didn’t believe that there was more to this life, an eternal progression between Jared and I, would I be so committed? I’d like to think so. But maybe not. Why invest time in a relationship that will terminate anyway? And if there’s no life after this, who’s going to hold you accountable? No one. So do what you want. Which then got me thinking about something I had never really thought about before.

I have never entertained the thought of there NOT being life after this life. NEVER. I’ve heard people talk about death being the end, but I just shrugged it off, knowing the truth. But yesterday as I was under a freeway overpass, listening to the story of this affair, I decided to place myself in that mind-frame of THIS LIFE IS IT, just to see a change of perspective. It was frightening.

If I believed that my only purpose on this earth was to get an education, work my whole life, get wrinkly and die, I would most definitely question the existence of humanity. And I would most definitely not care a lick about the consequence of my actions. Wow, way to be optimistic, I know. While I’m sure you can still have happiness in life without believing that there’s life after death, it only makes things that much more joyful and consequential with the belief in things eternal.

So what is it that keeps anyone together out there without the belief that marriage lives beyond this life’s existence? I'm deeply curious. Jared is, to say the least, my… everything? Cheesy, cheesy, I know. But if I lost him, I would seriously lose all reason for living. Kinda like Bella when Edward left her, except I wouldn’t have weird convulsions in bed, speak monotone and be in love with a fictional character. I can’t bear the thought of starting a family, going through decades of experiences with Jared, only to find that once I die of cancer… that’s it. For real? We only get some 50+ years together? THAT'S IT??? As I was thinking about all of this my mind became engaged in a fit of worry. I was engulfed in this dreadful idea that what if there was no God, no salvation? What if I died and it ended up that my beliefs were just beliefs? That God did not exist, my soul died along with my body, my knowledge and experiences were gone with the wind and I was lost in history? I decided right then that I would never be able to leave the church. The principals are just too good. I am so thankful for the knowledge I have of the Plan of Happiness.

I never realized how much of a security blanket the Church is for me. The Church gives me complete guidance to who I am, where I came from and where I’m headed after this life and It provides a cushion for all of life’s blows.

Yeah, I just had a spiritual experience that sprung from Sarkozy’s affair. And I liked it. To find out more about the LDS church, beliefs, marriage and life beyond this existence, click here.