--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Marriage is supposed to do everything…" description: "\"Marriage is supposed to do everything, like Duz, which is more than half its problem. It is said to save us, define us, give us purpose, keep us from l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/merle-shain-11858_balance_marriage-is-supposed-to-do-everything-li_774157.png" --- # Marriage is supposed to do everything, like Duz, which is… ![“Marriage is supposed to do everything, like Duz, which is more than half its problem. It is said to save us, define us, give us purpose, keep us from loneliness, and incidentally balance our diet and wash our socks, and when it doesn't, we get divorced.” quote by Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/merle-shain-11858_balance_marriage-is-supposed-to-do-everything-li_774157.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/merle-shain-11858_balance_marriage-is-supposed-to-do-everything-li_774157.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c2/merle-shain-11858_balance_marriage-is-supposed-to-do-everything-li_774157.png) > “Marriage is supposed to do everything, like Duz, which is more than half its problem. It is said to save us, define us, give us purpose, keep us from loneliness, and incidentally balance our diet and wash our socks, and when it doesn't, we get divorced.” [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marriage is portrayed as a multifaceted institution meant to fulfill emotional, social, and practical needs, yet its failure leads to divorce. **In simple terms:** Marriage aims to meet many needs; failure leads to divorce. Key Takeaway Recognize marriage’s limits and seek fulfillment elsewhere. Themes marriage expectations failure divorce Mood thoughtful analytical Type advice observational When to use this quote - relationship counseling - solo living - financial planning - healthcare Key Concepts social contract personal fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What expectations do you hold for marriage? - How can couples address unmet needs? A Different Perspective Not all marriages fit this description; cultural differences matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Diets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diets/) [Divorced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divorced/) [Duz Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duz-half-5977417/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Like Duz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-duz-5977416/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Marriage Supposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage-supposed-562932/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-loneliness-5977418/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Sock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sock/) ## Related quotes > [People say, 'Why is he bored with her?' 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Really it's excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/so-many-people-say-i-just-don-t-have-a-good-job-or-my-marriage-is-not/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I had no idea that marriage was only supposed to be between two people who wanted to get between the sheets and make more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-kirkman/i-had-no-idea-that-marriage-was-only-supposed-to-be-between-two/) [Jen Kirkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-kirkman/) > [“You can’t even think of ten things that make you happy,” she said. “What made you think you were ready for marriage? How is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/you-can-t-even-think-of-ten-things-that-make-you-happy-she-said-what/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [One of the things I will talk about, that no president has talked about before, is I think the dangers of contraception in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/one-of-the-things-i-will-talk-about-that-no-president-has-talked/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [“Really? When? Had all his material become threadbare? After thirty years of marriage, were you supposed to come up with new stuff all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/really-when-had-all-his-material-become-threadbare-after-thirty-years/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) ## More by Merle Shain > [One often learns more from ten days of agony than ten years of contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/one-often-learns-more-from-ten-days-of-agony-than-ten-years-of/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Feelings take you into uncharted territory from time to time it's true, but you almost always benefit from the journey one way or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/feelings-take-you-into-uncharted-territory-from-time-to-time-it-s/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [The act is unjustifiable that either begs for a blessing, or, having succeeded gives no thanksgiving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/the-act-is-unjustifiable-that-either-begs-for-a-blessing-or-having/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Some men are more perfect than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/some-men-are-more-perfect-than-others/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Loving someone means helping them to be more themselves, which can be different from being what you’d like them to be, although often they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/loving-someone-means-helping-them-to-be-more-themselves-which-can-be/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Anger is a passion, so it makes people feel alive and makes them feel they matter and are in charge of their lives. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/anger-is-a-passion-so-it-makes-people-feel-alive-and-makes-them-feel/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [It can be much harder to be on the receiving end of a transaction than to be the one who gets to give. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/it-can-be-much-harder-to-be-on-the-receiving-end-of-a-transaction/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Love is short, forgetting is long, and understanding longer still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/love-is-short-forgetting-is-long-and-understanding-longer-still/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [The roots of love sink down and deep and strike out far, and they are arteries that feed our lives, so we must see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/the-roots-of-love-sink-down-and-deep-and-strike-out-far-and-they-are/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Friends are people who help you be more yourself, more the person you are intended to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/friends-are-people-who-help-you-be-more-yourself-more-the-person-you/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [“ Whether the melon falls on the knife or the knife falls on the melon, it's the melon that suffers." And so it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/whether-the-melon-falls-on-the-knife-or-the-knife-falls-on-the-melon/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [when you put something good into the world, something good comes back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/when-you-put-something-good-into-the-world-something-good-comes-back/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Our times are obsessed with finding fulfillment, so there are times when some people try too hard, and there are people who want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/our-times-are-obsessed-with-finding-fulfillment-so-there-are-times/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [The day you spend hoping, the day you spend waiting, the day you spend in despair, is a day in your life as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/the-day-you-spend-hoping-the-day-you-spend-waiting-the-day-you-spend/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [Compassion is the thing that leads you gently back to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/compassion-is-the-thing-that-leads-you-gently-back-to-yourself/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) [Explore all 57 Merle Shain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) ## More Balance quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. 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I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“We don't need to strive towards balance, we rather need to work on the obstacles that are preventing the natural flow of balance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-alebraheem/we-don-t-need-to-strive-towards-balance-we-rather-need-to-work-on-the/) [A.A. Alebraheem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-alebraheem/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [Once you've gotten your money in balance, you know how much you have to spend on things that are just fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/once-you-ve-gotten-your-money-in-balance-you-know-how-much-you-have/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [I never understood how much running changes your life. I'm now obsessed. 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Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) [Browse all 5,166 Balance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Marriage is supposed to do everything, like Duz, which is more than half its problem. 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