Member-only story
Are you thinking about not getting married?
Think Twice
I still remember the day Marie, my 73-year-old neighbor, knocked on my door with tears in her eyes. Her partner of two decades, Anthony, had suffered a severe stroke, and she discovered in the hardest way possible that, in the eyes of the law, she was practically a stranger. Twenty years of love, dedication, and companionship reduced to nothing because of a paper they never considered necessary.
The Invisible Reality of Unmarried Couples
In modern America, where we celebrate freedom of choice and different forms of love, there’s a silent shadow looming over millions of older couples who chose not to formalize their unions. The irony is cruel: the older we get, the more vulnerable we become to the limitations society imposes on non-traditional relationships.
Having listened to these issues for years, I’ve observed a disturbing pattern. Hospitals, financial institutions, and even family members treat long-term partners as mere acquaintances, denying them basic rights in medical care decisions, financial management, and even hospital visits. It’s as if decades of commitment could be erased by a legal technicality.
