Marriage and that Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow
The legend of the pot of gold
The legend of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is an Irish one. The leprechaun told a man and his wife they could have all his pot of gold if they found it at the end of the rainbow. From this legend, we learn the moral of the story: it is wise to remember that relying on luck, magic, and greed is a recipe for failure.
People waste time and money pursuing something that cannot be sold, borrowed, purchased, or traded. We search for something that really isn’t there.
It’s a figment of our imagination: if we are lucky enough, if we stay in love long enough, if we are successful enough, we can make this marriage work. It does not work that way. We waste time searching for the end of the rainbow and that pot of gold, thinking then we can live happily ever after.
The end of the rainbow
This place – the end of the rainbow – is something we want, but is impossible to achieve. It’s the idea that our dreams elude us, causing us heartbreak and eventual death before we achieve what we desire.
A rainbow is a bow with a kaleidoscope of colors arching in the sky. These colors come from reflection and refraction of the sun’s rays through mist. The end of the rainbow appears to be where the bow meets the horizon. Yet, that is as far as we can see, so how do we know the rainbow does not extend beyond the horizon? How can we even reach the end of the rainbow?
Marriage is not a legend or a myth
While visions of happily ever after are what we think about as children, in reality marriage never provides happily ever after. A legend is a popular myth. And, a myth is “an unfounded or false notion.” One would think, judging from the divorce rate in society, that marriage is a myth. It isn’t. Marriage is real, and you can live happily after.
This does not mean there are no disagreements, frustrations, hurts, or communication failures. It means the grass is greenest here because this is where you belong. It also means that you make it real.
Instead of looking around and searching for that pot of gold somewhere at the end of the rainbow, you stay here and learn to communicate, care, and cherish the one you vowed to love until death parts you. Instead of chasing rainbows, you chase the one whom your soul loves. (Love is “will action”. You choose to love.)
It is as simple – and as difficult – as that.
Hope for marriages
I do not have my head in the sand. I know there are marriages struggling to stay alive. Many couples are living together, but not together emotionally. There is pain, betrayal, suffering, grief, and heartache. There is loss of trust, loss of affection, and loss of love.
That is when we go to God and ask for wisdom. We find people who know how to help, and we stay the course. We stop searching for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Then, we turn back to God and let Him do in us what He wants to do. For the believer, marriage is not about me or us. It is about Him. This is because marriage is a representation of Christ and His church. There is Hope, but we must both go it His way.
