marriage is freedom

Yes. I believe so.
I'm not talking here about "open marriage" where partners decide "it's ok to have affair", this is not my vision of marriage.
I think marriage is freedom because it's a choice you make, a decision that gives you the liberty to focus on what matters.
It may seem obvious, but making choices enable you to go much further, and I feel that many people don't see it that way anymore...
Once you got married you're free to put your energy into making it work :)
You're free to make plans on short, middle and long terms. :)

Where I work we have a little blanket that says:" Freedom is not free."
I can't agree more.
As teenager I went through a phase where I thought freedom was "whatever I want, whenever I want".
But I had great parents and they gave me responsibilities. You cannot get one without the other. - freedom and responsibilities, but that works also for parents if they do their best ;)

Yesterday I was working evening with our guys. Remarkably quiet as they go serious meeting, involving whatever parenting figure who could contact for them... Bref, the news were on and they were talking about this potential-debts-annulment, one of them said " Oh I wish that would pass, that would erase my debts!!".
He doesn't have a very big debt, in this case I think that would be worse to erase his debt. Not that I want him "punished" but some day you have to face the consequences of your acts, and paying back a debt is a good way to realise what money is worth... I think letting people think that it doesn't matter so much is misleading.
In working here one year I've learned many things, one of them is to give structure. To keep the big picture in mind, then everything else falls into place, then all little rules make sense...

Marriage is a structure. That gives you a frame so you can define more clearly what you expect, what to do and how. It's very reassuring and empowering.

Here is a post on the simple dollar that conforts me in that motto" marriage is freedom". I can't tell how much I enjoy this blog!

Where exactly do you want to be in five years? Just stop for a second and think about where you want to be in five years. What would you like for your life to be like?

As you think about this, be realistic, but don’t worry about whether you can afford the stuff, either. Don’t envision yachts, but don’t sweat whether you can afford the details.

Here are a few things to think about.

Will you be married?
Will you have children? How many? How old?
Will you own a house?
What will your job be like? Or will you own a small business?
Where will you live?
How will you transport yourself around?
What’s the best-case scenario you can imagine about your debt? Your savings?

You can add in as many details to this as you like - actually, the more details you add, the better.

So let's do it:
In 5 years from now I will be married, I will have children. I hope for 2 and one on the way. so 2 yo and 1 yo. I like the idea of having kids close in age, but let's see with the first one before I talk too fast... :)
We will live in Chicago in an appartement or house, with backyard. Own it, as in paying back mortgage I guess.
Phil will be done with physics, working in that area. I will work part time either in ATI or library. We will use public transportation, bikes and walking. We will have a car insured for 1 day a week (Phil talked to me about that the other day, I think it's great to go on week ends!!)
We will have paid back his old school debt and should be done with any new one as we'll work during his studies to limit it.

As I recently got some readers, I ask you who's reading this: what about you?