The real marriage - the uniting of hearts, the lighting of the sacred flame in each - is the work of Nature, and it is the best work that nature does. The ceremony of marriage gives notice to the world that the real marriage has taken place.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Ingersoll defines real marriage as a natural union of hearts, with ceremonies merely announcing it to the world.
- In plain terms
- Real marriage is the bond of hearts made by nature; the ceremony just announces it.
- What can you take from it?
- Value the emotional bond over the formal ceremony.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes a marriage real?
- Do ceremonies matter?
Another view
It undervalues the legal and social protections ceremonies often provide.
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