Until recently, women were expected to get a gender-specific job and then get married and stay home with children.

Men were the breadwinners — they were in charge, and as long as the house was clean, everything would work out.

Creating a nuclear family was the only way to women’s success.

In the 21st Century, we’re living longer, waiting to get married, and more people are deciding not to have children.

Things are changing but even with all the other successes women will have in their lives, they still act like marriage will be the greatest thing they’ll ever do.

While the thought of marriage is romantic, is it even practical?

My belief in love isn’t dead, but I don’t understand marriage.

If you know you love someone, and you know you want to be with them, why is a ceremony and certificate necessary? What does it stand for?

With the number of divorces in this country, it’s clear that a lot of people don’t know what marriage stands for.

But can you blame them?

Staying together forever is a tough promise to keep. How you feel about someone when you’re 30 could be completely different in 5 or 10 years — and that shouldn’t be surprising because as humans, we’re constantly changing.

Marriage is more than romance. It’s a commitment, something that is supposed to be forever — till death do us part — but at least 50 percent of the time, it’s not.

Some people don’t want to try and force themselves into a mold. For some people, marriage is a way to organize child-rearing and define commitment, but people have different ideals when it comes to a relationship.

Wanting to stay financially and emotionally independent is also important to many people. Relying too much on a single person and trying to create this cultural fantasy of a perfect marriage isn’t feasible, and isn’t healthy.

Jobs, families, money, hobbies and thousands of other things get in the way of marriage, and the easy way out is divorce.

The question is, what is the point of marriage when you can be with someone for the rest of your life anyway?

And another question: when people are living 75, 80-plus years, is it  practical to stay with someone for the rest of your life?

Sometimes, you will outgrow people, or you were wrong about them or you’ve learned all you can from them. Sometimes, it’s time to move on to someone else.

It’s 100 percent possible to create a long term and meaningful relationship with another person, and not do it by terms of marriage.

While marriage can be a great thing, it shouldn’t be the only thing you’re looking forward to in life. It’s a romantic thought, but marriage is work — it’s not a walk in the park and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Times are changing, specifically for relationships. A certificate is starting to sound unnecessary and even ridiculous to some who are in relationships — long- and short-term.