A common aspiration for most people in the world is to find a partner with whom to share a rewarding future; for caring companionship, perhaps to build a family, to work toward a state of financial security, and to have someone to share old age with. Different cultures have different customs and expectations when it comes to relationship unions, but most cultures have some form of formalized union such as marriage or common-law relationships. While most people who decide to marry have visions of a relationship that will last until one partner passes on, the reality is more bleak.
