For a 13-year-old, life couldn't have been more horrible than my middle school years. The work was grueling, but even more so, my personal life suffered from exhaustion, academic failure, depression, and unsettled family values. My mom and dad haven't seen eye to eye on priorities lately and the whole house seemed to be tearing at once imperishable seams. Something was wrong, and that something was part of my daily life. It wasn't until many years later that I was able to reflect and realize that it was particularly my parents' influence and the unstable feelings between them that made my 13-year-old life hateful. Despite these unhappy years, I have come to a great understanding of the common thread many households today share: While parents find weaknesses that outweigh the strength of their marriage, close-knit family and friends can also experience a weakness in personal strength or stability. disadvantage in today's society, marriage between two individuals proves to have such a profound influence on everyone involved or associated. Marriages contribute to self-sufficiency, the ability to support others and bring out the best qualities in each other; even the world's economy and well-being benefit from couples' marriages. Unfortunately, the decline in marriages over the past century prevents many people from thriving and influencing each other. As human beings interacting with other human beings, we possess a divine responsibility to participate in the influential experience of a marital relationship. Some object to this necessity by arguing that some marriages end badly and only have a negative influence on those involved, that it may be better never to marry...... middle of paper ......the positive impacts and necessity of marriage relationships, as these relationships prove to be vital even in today's society. After all, a 13-year-old's stability may be at stake. Works Cited Anthony, Carl Sferrazza. “When spouses speak, voters listen.” The New York Times. The New York Times., November 12, 2013. Web. March 20, 2014. Cacciola, Scott. “A generational wealth of NBA talent.” The New York Times. The New York Times. February 15, 2014. The web. March 31, 2014. Fagan, Patrick F. “Congress's Role in Improving Juvenile Delinquency Data.” The Heritage Foundation. The Heritage Foundation, March 10, 2000. Web. March 20, 2014. Kidd, Sue Monk. The secret life of bees. New York: Penguin Books, 2002. “Defending Marriage and Families; Marital happiness helps prevent poverty. " Washington Times [Washington, DC] October 30, 2012: B01. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. March 20. 2014.