愛爾蘭是信奉天主教的國家,禁止離婚。所以,兩人結(jié)婚時必須選擇婚姻關(guān)系的期限——1年至100年。這種婚姻法的高明之處在于,婚姻的期限恰好與結(jié)婚的費(fèi)用成反比。如果你選擇了1年期限,將支付高達(dá)2000英鎊的費(fèi)用并獲得如辭典般厚厚的權(quán)利義務(wù)說明;如果你選擇了100年,那么恭喜你,你只需要支付工本費(fèi)0.5英鎊,和短短的卻讓所有女人感動的一段話:“我不知道我的左手對右手、右腿對左腿、左眼對右眼、右腦對左腦究竟應(yīng)該享有怎樣的權(quán)利,究竟應(yīng)該承擔(dān)怎樣的義務(wù)。其實(shí)它們本就是一個整體,因彼此的存在而存在,因彼此的快樂而快樂。最后,讓這張粉紅色的小紙帶去我對你們百年婚姻的美好祝愿!祝你們幸福!”
希望世間男女,都能像愛爾蘭人一樣去結(jié)婚,好好地謹(jǐn)慎地相愛,并選擇百年的期限來用心地守護(hù)身邊的那個人。
When I was having a chit-chat with my colleague, she asked me all of a sudden, “How did your husband propose to you at that time? Was it romantic?” I was numbed by her words for a while, and then burst into laughter, “My husband is a bit rigid, so do you think his proposal would be romantic?” Though I said in that way, I felt very sweet in heart when thinking of my husband’s proposing to me. To be honest, his proposal was actually by no means romantic without flowers, diamond ring and any other surprise. It was even could not be called “marriage proposal”。
At that time, he gave me a book about Ireland, which, now I am thinking was a long-established plan. At the weekend when I finished the book, he came to me and asked me whether I had finished the book. Seeing me nod my head, he felt very pleased and said to me in a low but happy voice, “If you like, we can get married in an Irish way!”
At that time, my heart was totally convinced by the romantic and sacred law of marriage in Ireland. The book told me that Ireland believes in Catholicism and prohibited divorce. Therefore, when a couple get married, they are supposed to choose the time of their marriage which ranges from 1 year to 100 years. The most impressive of this law of marriage lies in the inverse relationship between the time of marriage and the fees to be charged. If you choose 1 year for your marriage, you shall pay as much as 2, 000 sterling pounds plus receiving a dictionary-thick reference of rights and responsibilities. But if you choose 100 years, then you are very lucky and only need to pay 0.5 pound for the fees and receive a short but heart-touching note in all women’s eyes: “I have no idea the clear rights and responsibilities for my left hand to my right hand, my right leg to my left leg, my left eye to my right eye and my right sphere of brain to the left. Actually, they are an integrated whole and live by each other and cheer for each other. Finally, I would like this pink note to convey my best wishes to your one-hundred-year marriage! May you live happily all your lives!”
I still remember at that time that I said to my husband, “Ok, so sir, please choose the time you expect our marriage to last!” He said happily, “I even do not bother to think about it and would definitely choose 100 years because it is highly money-saving!”
Later, I married him, a man who would like to stay with me for 100 years. Although we are not bound by the law of marriage in Ireland, we have cherished our vow to discipline ourselves all the time. We have married like Irish people and look on our marriage as a life-long commitment and spare no effort to nourish it hand in hand as we are gradually aging together。
I also sincerely hope that every pair of lovers in the world can get married like Irish people and love and protect each other whole-heartedly by committing themselves to a 100-year marriage。