When “til death us do part” becomes very real

In a world where one can cynically say that marriage is undervalued and its vows are quickly undermined, there are situations where the absolute opposite is happening.

They’re not common, they’re not fashionable because they don’t involve celebrities, but they are real, and they are inspiring to people who believe in human goodness and perseverence.

In this case, I’m talking about Peter and Siaron West from Cardiff. Their story was broadcast on a Welsh TV station on Valentine’s Day.

Peter suffers from severe progressive MS (Multiple Sclerosis). In the documentary, Siaron spoke of the huge emotional and practical burden of caring for her seriously ill husband.

In the ten years that they have been married, Peter’s health has deteriorated rapidly. He is now confined to a wheelchair and needs 24-hour care.

Siaron, who has a daughter Catrin, conceived by a sperm donor due to her husband’s illness, confesses her circumstances at times have been overwhelming, but that keeping her wedding vow is more important than freedom from her onerous responsibilities.

“I’m not at all romantic,” she says. “To me, even 10 years ago, love was about making and keeping promises - it wasn’t about mushy stuff because that doesn’t last.

“Commitment is important. You make a promise and you keep it, whatever happens - that’s what love means to me.”

It would be wrong to say that this kind of commitment can only be found in a marriage relationship, however it is true that the vow “til death us do part” has become a reality for this couple.

Would I have the strength to stand by my wife if something happened to her (I pray it doesn’t). Or if something happened to me? I’d like to think so, on a purely human level, and because those vows we made were more than just words repeated in order to obtain a piece of paper proving our marriage.

Marriage is a complete commitment between two people, whatever life decides to throw at them. This story, and many others that remaiin private and untold, proves that.

Read the full article: Marriage vows help couple to cope