Hi great people. I listened to a compelling speaker who was talking about marriage. What caught my attention was when she spoke about the Guinness Book Of Records holders of the titles Most-Married-Man and Most-Married-Woman.
These two people have said “I do” the most number of times globally. They hopped from one marriage to the other hoping that the grass would be green on the other side.
The woman married the most number of times according to the Guinness Book of Records was Linda Wolfe (formerly Linda Lou Taylor). Linda said “I do’ 23 times.
Linda’s first marriage happened when she was sixteen.
Over the decades, she went on to marry all kinds of people including a convict, barman, and preacher.
Linda could not list her husbands in order due to the numerous marriages. However, she remembered that her first husband, George Scott was her nicest husband. Her marriage to George was the longest as it lasted seven years.
Linda also remembered that Jack Gourley was her best lover. No wonder she got married to him three times!
Linda could also not forget her oddest marriage ceremony. It happened in a jailhouse. She was getting married to Tom Stutzman, son of a wealthy Mormon. Tom was one-eyed and Linda said he was convicted wrongly for rape.
Linda couldn’t forget that her marriage to Fred Chadwick lasted only 36 hours. It was her shortest marriage. However, some of her marriages lasted several years.
So, as you can see, Linda went through numerous name changes. For instance, she was known as Mrs Smith, Mrs Street, Mrs Scot, Mrs McMillan, etc.
Linda even got married to Glynn “Scotty” Wolfe! That’s how she became Mrs Linda Wolfe.
You see, Glynn “Scotty” Wolfe was the world’s most-married man. According to the Guinness Book Of Records, Wolfe was married 29 times!
Linda Wolfe admitted that she got married to Glynn “Scotty” Wolfe mainly to create history as being married to the world’s most married man.
Glynn was a Baptist preacher. Their marriage lasted for about 6 years.
Linda gave several reasons for divorcing so many times. For instance, she said one of her husbands put a padlock on the refrigerator and another one choked her. She also said some had affairs.
She maintained she remained faithful despite some of her husbands having affairs.
One day after her 23rd divorce, Linda decided enough was enough. She was done with marriage and she decided to take control of her life.
She collected all her engagement and wedding rings. They were beautiful rings and some were expensive. She then put the rings inside her kid’s soiled diapers and threw them in the bin.
She put the garbage outside and watched with relief as the collector carried away the trash. The garbage collector took away Linda’s lifetime of memories. She couldn’t help shouting, “Good riddance”.
Linda was a mother of seven and a grandmother of many.
It’s interesting to note that Linda got married 23 times as she was looking for romance and companionship. She had no intention of being the record holder of the most-married woman in the world.
Rumor had it that after staying single for 12 years, she started looking for husband number 24. Why? Because she felt lonely and was hooked on getting hitched.
As I said in the post 10 reasons why marriages fail, marriage is not for the fainthearted. I believe marriage is great if you find a good partner. Even then, it’s never a bed of roses.
You see, when you’re in a marriage, you’re living real life. Life does have ups and downs for both married and single people.
If you don’t hold on to your marriage, for better and for worse, you could end up being divorced as many times as Linda Wolfe (tongue in cheek).
This happens because of giving up easily on your marriage. You leave the marriage and look for another partner with the hope that the new partner is better than your ex.
Sadly, as you can see from the example of Linda Wolfe, the grass is not always greener on the other side. In fact, sometimes, there is no grass on the other side.
I urge you to hang on to your marriage as much as possible because it’s a noble institution. Only seek divorce if it’s really necessary, not as a quick fix to your marital issues.
I created quotes to inspire you to hang on to your marriage instead of looking for quick fixes such as separation or divorce.
15 Quotes To Inspire You To Hang On To Your Marriage
Let me share with you 15 quotes to inspire you to hang on to your marriage without further ado:
1. Marriage is Forever
Marriage is not a trial-and-error adventure, it’s forever. Go into marriage knowing that you’ll spend the rest of your life with the person you’ve chosen.
So, hang on to your marriage through thick and thin and try to live happily ever, because marriage is forever.
2. Marriage is Not for the Fainthearted
Marriage is not for the fainthearted. You require humility, courage, determination, and resilience to succeed in marriage.
You can hang on to your marriage by developing the resilience to overcome obstacles, the courage to face life’s storms, and the bravery to keep choosing your partner each day.
3. Marriage is Like a Bed of Roses
A bed of roses has beauty as well as thorns. That’s how marriage is. It’s beautiful but there are challenges along the way.
So, enter marriage with an open mind, an open heart, and a willingness to face the ups and downs of marriage.
4. Remember That Nobody Is Perfect
You’re not perfect, and neither is your partner – you’re human beings after all. You’re two unique people. So, don’t expect your partner to be perfect, because doing so would lead to disappointment.
Instead, accept your partner’s flaws, learn to live with your differences, and try to bring out the best of each other in the process.
5. No Marriage is Perfect
Don’t be fooled by those couples whose marriages look perfect. No marriage is perfect! You’ll face many challenges in your marriage because you’re both imperfect human beings.
When you feel like giving up, try to remember why you fell in love with your partner in the first place. Choose them again and again.
6. Two Are Better Than One
It’s better to do life with a loving partner than do life alone. No wonder God said it’s not good for man/woman to live alone.
Each of you brings love, unique perspectives, and strengths. The strong bond enables you to face life’s ups and downs together and succeed.
So, whenever you feel like giving up on your marriage, remember that two are better than one.
7. Differences Are Inevitable In Marriage
In marriage, you’re two individuals with your own opinions, thoughts, ideas, etc. So, you don’t have to think alike. Sometimes you’ll agree and sometimes you’ll disagree. Differences are inevitable in marriage.
It’s best to accept your differences instead of quitting the marriage.
Your individuality is important in the marriage partnership. Your differences should therefore strengthen your marriage instead of destroying it.
8. Communication is the Heartbeat of Marriage
Communication is key in a marriage. Instead of quitting the marriage, always try to have clear, honest, and open communication. This helps to resolve issues and strengthens your bond.
Remember, once you stop communicating, you start drifting apart.
9. Compromise is the Bridge That Keeps Your Marriage Standing Strong
The importance of compromise in marriage cannot be overemphasized. Sometimes you’ll not get your way, and that’s alright.
Each of you has to compromise every now and then because marriage is about give and take.
So, when you disagree, try to come to a compromise instead of walking away. Try to meet in the middle of the bridge (compromise), so that your marriage can continue standing strong.
10. Love Evolves Over Time, Hang in There
At the beginning of marriage, there is a lot of excitement and passion. However, these may reduce as the realities of life sink in.
That doesn’t mean your partner doesn’t love you. If you hang in there your love will deepen through your shared life experiences.
11. Forgiving and Forgetting Sets You Free
In marriage, mistakes, fights, misunderstandings, quarrels, conflicts, etc are inevitable. Instead of holding on to grudges, past mistakes, past hurts, or running away, learn to forgive and forget.
When you forgive and forget, you’re set free and can move forward with understanding and love.
12. Always Choose Peace in Your Marriage
Joy flourishes and love endures in a peaceful environment. So, always choose peace in your marriage.
For instance, instead of escalating issues, fighting, throwing tantrums, cursing, running away, etc, choose peace.
When you choose peace, your marriage will be harmonious and will withstand the test of time.
13. Always Remember Your Best Days Are Ahead Of You
Hang on to your marriage because your best days are ahead of you. The best chapters of your marriage are yet to be written.
In other words, embrace your marriage journey, trust the process, and believe that great joys and opportunities lie ahead. So, don’t quit, hang in there.
14. Always Remember That Love Is Worth Fighting For
When you experience bumps in your marriage journey and times get tough, remember that love is worth fighting for.
After all, even the strongest trees bend in the wind but fight and come out stronger.
So, instead of walking away, fight for your marriage. Try to rise above the challenges.
Instead of pulling away, choose to lean on each other. You can weather any storm, together.
15. Keep Hope Alive Because It’s the Glue That Holds a Marriage Together
Sometimes you may feel like everything in your marriage is falling apart. At such times, always keep hope alive. Hope holds your marriage together.
Remember, the most beautiful flowers bloom after the harshest winters.
So, believe that even your darkest days in marriage can dawn into bright tomorrows. Never give up on your marriage – keep hope alive.
Conclusion
There you have it. The stories of Linda Wolfe and Glynn “Scotty” Wolfe show that divorce is not always the answer to marriage woes. They were married 23 and 29 times consecutively but still ended up alone.
So, I urge you to hang on to your marriage because the grass is not always greener on the other side. In fact, sometimes there is no grass on the other side. And as the saying goes, “Sometimes it’s better the devil you know than the angel you don’t know”.
I’m not saying you hang on to a toxic marriage. No.
I’m talking about hanging on to those challenging issues that don’t warrant separation or divorce. As a couple, you can work together to resolve numerous issues, if you’re willing to do so. Cheers!
Also read: Is your marriage struggling? 10 things you can do to save your marriage.
4 Comments
very informative articles or reviews at this time.
There is definately a lot to find out about this subject. I like all the points you made
Beautiful read
As the saying goes; Better the devil you know! 😁