Marriage is a wonderful invention: then again, so is a bicycle

"Marriage is a wonderful invention: then again, so is a bicycle repair kit." These words, spoken by the Scottish bard of humor, Billy Connolly, may seem lighthearted at first, but within them lies a hidden wisdom. For though he jested, he struck upon a truth that the ancients themselves would have recognized—that life is both sacred and absurd, both glorious and fragile. Marriage is indeed an invention, a bond fashioned by human hearts to weather the storms of existence. Yet like a bicycle on a long journey, even the strongest partnership will one day falter, stumble, or break. Thus, as Connolly reminds us, the greatness of marriage is not in its perfection, but in the tools we use to mend it.

The origin of this wisdom comes from the tension between laughter and love. Connolly, known for finding truth in jest, revealed that no matter how wondrous the union of two souls may be, it is not free from cracks, punctures, and wear. Just as a traveler on a long road must carry a repair kit, so too must those who bind themselves in matrimony carry patience, forgiveness, and the willingness to begin again. It is not enough to fall in love; one must also be prepared to repair love when it falters.

Consider the story of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, whose marriage endured hardships both private and public. Betrayals came, and pain threatened to tear apart what had been built. Yet instead of allowing the union to collapse, they repaired it—not into a romantic fairy tale, but into a partnership of shared purpose and enduring respect. Like a cyclist who patches the tire to continue the journey, they found ways to move forward together. Their marriage was not flawless, but it was resilient. And resilience is often the truest form of love.

For this is the essence of Connolly’s jest: marriage is not an endless celebration of perfection, but a journey filled with unexpected breaks and sudden obstacles. The joy of it lies not in avoiding such trials, but in learning to repair, to endure, and to press onward. A bicycle left unrepaired is useless; a marriage left untended is destined to fall apart. But with the right tools—compassion, humor, humility—both can be restored to motion, carrying their riders further along the road.

This teaching is also heroic in its humility: to admit that one needs a repair kit is to accept that life will bring failure, that even the strongest bonds are not immune to strain. Yet this is not cause for despair; it is a call to wisdom. The wise rider does not curse the punctured tire; he stops, he repairs, he continues. The wise husband or wife does not curse the cracks of misunderstanding; they pause, they mend, they journey onward.

Let us then take the lesson: a marriage that lasts is not one that never falters, but one that is lovingly repaired, again and again. Do not seek perfection, for it is not given to mortals. Instead, seek readiness—readiness to patch the holes with laughter, to seal the breaks with patience, to strengthen the weak spots with gentleness. Just as a traveler prepares his kit before the journey, so too must those entering into marriage prepare their hearts with the virtues that mend.

Practical wisdom flows from this truth: carry with you humor, for laughter heals wounds that words cannot. Carry forgiveness, for no union survives without it. Carry humility, for pride makes the cracks wider. And above all, carry perseverance, for the road is long and the journey is worth the effort. These are the tools of your repair kit, the instruments by which you will keep your love moving forward.

So remember Connolly’s jest not as mockery, but as counsel wrapped in laughter: marriage is indeed a wonderful invention, but it endures only with the art of repair. Let future generations learn this truth—that joy is found not only in the beginning, but in the mending, not only in the invention, but in the care that keeps it alive.