Recently, Anthony and I shared a six-year wedding anniversary. For me, saying I do to Anthony was the

easiest decision I've ever made. In our six years, I have never had a single moment where I

questioned marrying him. And we've had trials that many marriages couldn't survive. Deaths of

close loved ones, financial burdens like student loan payments, and struggling with

infertility. But through all the ups and downs of marriage, we've only grown closer to each other.

I know that ours isn't the same as many married couples. We're more the exception, it seems,

in the rule. In fact, there's a widespread rumor that nearly 50% of marriages in the U.S. end

in divorce. While that actually isn't true, according to Insider,% of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. While that actually

isn't true, according to Insider, the divorce rate in the United States is actually going down.

It hit a peak of about 41% for people who married 35 years ago and is falling ever since.

In 2019, there were 16.3 new marriages for every 1,000 women, age 15 and over in the United States,

down from 17.6 in 2009. And at the same time, the U.S. divorce rate fell from 9.7 new divorces per 1,000 women, age 15 and over in 2009, to 7.6 in 2019. Growing up in the Bible Belt has its

advantages. There's no short supply of vacation Bible schools to attend when summer gets

boring. There's a feel of community that comes from growing up in the Bible Belt. In fact,

it is out of the norm to leave, quote-unquotequote home once you're an adult. While there are

quirks about this lifestyle, the Southern Christian household of the Bible Belt is known for

hospitality and traditional ways of life. And traveling outside of the area and exploring new

ideas can be rewarding, but you'll always feel better when you come back to where you feel like

you belong. But growing up in the Bible Belt has its hardships, too. For many of us, at one point or

another, we deal with the judgment felt at the hands of our neighbors for choices we had to make

for the betterment of our own lives. Few people know this about me, but I was engaged before I started

dating Anthony. And when I finally realized that I needed out, it was a hard decision for me to make,, but I was engaged before I started dating Anthony. And when I finally realized

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