What ‘silver splicers’ can teach us ALL about the joy of marriage

Just when it seemed the institution of marriage was as endangered as an orderly Brexit, news greets us that the number of ‘ silver splicers’ taking second vows in their 60s has doubled since 2001.

People who have already gone through the agonies of divorce or bereavement have decided that the best way to be happy is — whisper it — to marry again.

the eternal longing for mutual friendship, for understanding, companionship and, yes, sex in their 60s and beyond, has proved something many cannot resist.

What is so striking is that this goes against the long trend of falling marriage rates in an era when the institution has been denigrated — viewed as a ‘lifestyle choice’ that’s no better than simply living together.

In our anything-goes society, why should couples have to make a public proclamation of their commitment or proffer a pesky marriage certificate to prove their love?

successive governments have attacked married couples’ allowances for fear of suggesting marriage is better than other lifestyles — that of a struggling single mum, for example. Yet there’s a vast body of evidence to show that marriage is statistically the most effective way of keeping relationships together, the most stable way of bringing up children and giving them a good education and job prospects.

Of course, it’s not a bed of roses. Many marriages end in divorce. Lives broken, dreams shattered and, above all, children damaged.

However, the fact is you are far more likely to split up when co-habiting. You’re also more likely to end up in old age bereft of companionship and good health. It’s not for nothing that across the cultures, for centuries, marriage has been the bedrock that has underpinned society.

Which makes it all the more encouraging that these ‘silver splicers’ — with the benefit of wisdom they’ve acquired over the years — have come round once more to understanding that life is enriched by sharing it with another person, with a commitment made before family and friends. We were not born to live alone.

As that A. A. Milne poem, written almost 100 years ago, tells us: ‘It isn’t much fun for One, but Two Can stick together,’ says Pooh,

says he. ‘That’s how it is,’ says Pooh.