Of course, the simple explanation of the fact is that marriage is

Hear the words of Lafcadio Hearn, the wanderer between East and West, who once said: “Of course, the simple explanation of the fact is that marriage is the most important act of man’s life in Europe or America, and that everything depends upon it.” His words are not merely a statement of culture, but a revelation of how society, love, and destiny are bound together by a single sacred choice. In these lands of the West, where the self is exalted and the future built upon individual will, marriage becomes not only a union of two hearts, but the very cornerstone of identity and civilization.

To the ancients, every great act of life was a rite, and none more binding than the joining of souls. Hearn, who had walked among both Eastern and Western peoples, saw this truth with the eyes of one who stood between worlds. In the West, marriage is seen as the pivot upon which life turns — the moment when the individual chooses permanence over wandering, duty over desire, creation over solitude. It is the covenant that shapes families, influences wealth, defines morality, and gives structure to the rhythm of generations. Indeed, as Hearn said, everything depends upon it, for in the heart of this vow lies the seed of society itself.

In the East, Hearn found a gentler philosophy — one that often treated marriage as a harmony of families and spirits, woven into the great tapestry of fate. But in Europe and America, he observed, the weight of this union rested upon personal choice and romantic destiny. To marry was to declare one’s values, one’s standing, even one’s worth. It was both a spiritual trial and a social expectation. Thus, the act that was meant to unite hearts also came to bear the burden of the world’s judgments. Through Hearn’s eyes, we see that marriage in the Western mind is not only a private covenant but a public declaration — one that shapes how the world perceives a man or woman, and how they perceive themselves.

History offers us many who illustrate the power of this truth. Consider Martin Luther, the reformer who defied the authority of popes and princes alike, yet transformed the moral order of his time not only through theology but through his marriage. When he wed Katharina von Bora, a former nun, he shattered centuries of clerical celibacy and declared that marriage itself was a sacred calling. His act did more than fulfill personal love; it redefined holiness in Europe. His home became a symbol of spiritual equality, where husband and wife shared both labor and thought. Thus, through a single union, he changed the course of nations — proving that, indeed, everything depends upon it.

And yet, Hearn’s insight carries both admiration and warning. When a society places such immense gravity upon one act, it risks making marriage a measure of worth rather than a vessel of love. Too often have men and women entered into it not for companionship, but for conformity — seeking social approval rather than truth. The ancients would call this a distortion of sacred order. For any bond made out of fear or vanity becomes hollow, and from that hollowness springs unhappiness. A union born of duty but without devotion breeds a thousand silent sorrows.

The wisdom, therefore, lies not in exalting marriage alone, but in understanding why it matters. It is not merely the binding of two bodies or signatures upon parchment. It is the forging of a shared destiny, a promise to build something greater than oneself. In it, one learns patience, humility, and endurance — virtues that sustain civilizations as surely as they sustain homes. When Hearn says “everything depends upon it,” he speaks not only of social order, but of the human soul’s education in love. For through the discipline of unity, the heart learns to serve, to forgive, and to remain steadfast.

So let the lesson be this: approach love as both gift and responsibility. Do not enter it lightly, nor hold it too tightly. When you choose to bind your life to another, let it be in truth and reverence. Build not for the applause of the world, but for the quiet strength that endures when the world forgets you. For when two souls unite in sincerity, they become not merely husband and wife, but architects of eternity — pillars upon which generations stand.

Thus, as Lafcadio Hearn taught, the act of marriage is both the mirror and the foundation of civilization. Its success or failure echoes beyond the walls of the home and into the heart of society. And though its burdens are great, its purpose is greater still: to remind humankind that love, in its highest form, is not a fleeting passion, but the very structure upon which everything depends.