My son just sent me an article describing how the Marine Corp noted an almost 4% increase in the number of failed marriages during the past year. Naturally, the author of the article attributed the increase to the strains of the military deployment. I don't think so.

Our society has become so used to all of these excuses for failed marriages that anyone can pick an excuse du jour. The reality, however, is that our society in general simply has no idea of what marriage is, nor the expectations of any individual who commits themselves to this life.

When I speak with couples who are in a troubled marriage, they readily admit they had no idea of what they were getting into. By the time reality shows itself they are ill equipped to define it. They encounter struggles and internal conflicts that are so overwhelming they can barely maintain a balance. I'm talking about really good people. I'm talking about people who were and are sincere about joining together for a lifetime. I'm not talking about people who got married with the idea that if it didn't work out they could always just get a divorce. In my opinion those people are very rare. But marriage is baffling to those who go into it without proper preparation.

The Marine Corp brings in some of the best people from our society and trains them to be loyal according to the laws of loyalty. So it is not because of a lack of loyalty that they fail. It is because they just don't know. As far as I'm concerned the importance of teaching basic how to live principles in our schools is of paramount importance to the happiness and stability of our society. And to those Marines and all others who endure the tragedy of divorce, I offer my heartfelt sympathy.