There oughta be a law

This sounds naive, I am sure, but reneging on declarations of love should not be allowed.  I am not talking here about what is said between teenagers,  or even what is said between adults - if it is said when clothes are being removed or when emotions are heightened for any reason.  I am talking about voluntary, unprompted declarations that are offered up like gifts in moments of relative calm, declarations that are made again and again with a sense of wonder in one’s voice as though the impact of the realization could never grow old. “You are everything I ever dreamed about in a wife.”  “I knew the moment I first met you that you were my soul-mate.” “You are such a good person, a truly good person.  I’ve never known anyone so good.” “All my life I was looking for a G****** girl (insert his mother’s maiden name), a solid woman, a dependable woman...and I’ve found her – I’ve finally found  her.” “We will always be together.  Why wouldn’t we be? We’ve chosen each other, now we choose to stay together always.”

It seems to me that when these declarations are made for more than a decade, they should not be retractable.  Integrity alarm bells should go off. Lights should flash and the offender should be subjected to electric shocks located in the floor boards under his feet.  You can’t take back these declarations.  There should be a law against this.  You should not be allowed to say “I know I said that, but now I know I was wrong.” You shouldn’t be allowed to say “You are NOT a G****** girl.”  Who made you judge and jury of my character?  If you were wrong about someone for ten years, then aren’t you the one with the problem, not the person whom you voluntarily declared perfect time and again?  Besides when you realize your partner is not perfect, don’t you just kind of re-think your own need for perfection in a partner? Is that even feasible?  Oh and then there’s always the question “Since I’m faced with the reality that my wife  is not the perfect blend of Mrs. Cleaver and Kim Basinger, I wonder if I’ve fallen short of my wife’s ideal man in any way?”  In what kind of world, does a husband get to say “you’ve disappointed me and therefore I cannot be with you”? 

I wish I could be angry about this.  Instead I am just sad.