[quote name='steve_k']Be very, very careful with marriage. Make sure she's the right girl. Which of these future scenerios do you want to be in:
scenario A: single, never married and free to do whatever you want, whenever you want with no baggage to announce to a woman when you find her, and no emotional pain
scenario B: married and divorced with monthly alimony payments up to 50% of your income and a kid who you would love to visit with more, but can't - not to mention the heart break of possibily marrying the wrong girl who is going to cheat on you - I'm sure there are other complications I am not even aware of because I've never been married
Make your decision carefully, and do it for yourself. People get married for the purpose of happiness. If you think you won't be happy, don't do it.[/QUOTE]
False Dichotomy. I read much of this thread, and it seems like you're just afraid of getting hurt. There are no guarantees in any relationship, married or otherwise.. the act of just BEING in a relationship - especially a bad one - leaves you with emotional scars that are important to make you more aware of what you need (as opposed to want) in your friends OR lovers. It hurts, but it serves a purpose.
Playing it safe all the time results in shallow friendships -- people need to put themselves out there and be willing to take a risk, and get hurt in order to have a connection to another person that's worth having.
Marriage is ultimately a contract.. it has historically been a business arrangement.. the idea of marriage for love is a very new idea. Like any business arrangement, understanding the fine print in a marriage is important.. don't jump into any contract without thinking it through.
Connections with other people, though, are often thought about much, much too hard -- stop fearing rejection, and you'll start making friends.