Published: February 14, 2007 10:27 am      

Anna Nicole Smith’s un-anchored marriages fostered her early death

I was saddened about the unfortunate death of Anna Nicole Smith, who died at age 39.

I felt sadness at the recent death of her 20-year-old son. I feel sympathy toward her infant daughter, who is in the cradle of a shaky, uncertain future. Looking back at Smith’s life, many dwell on the drug and alcohol abuse or her up and down weight. Smith compared her life to that of another beauty, Marilyn Monroe. I find another parallel that is often overlooked: Un-anchored marriages fostered their early demise.

Both technically had monogamous marriages that were solemnized legally as society mandated. Both also had loose living relationships with men who pretended to love them, and then “used them,” thereby putting both women in a precarious state of mental instability. And, both captured the eye of the founder of Playboy, Hugh Hefner, who used their good looks to peddle his magazine.

With the possible exception of Joe DiMaggio, no man ever went out of his way to honor Marilyn Monroe. And, with Howard K. Stern supposedly exchanging “non-binding vows of love” with Smith — that proves she had no real anchor of marriage to ease her pain, to share the ups and downs of life and to “ground her” with a permanent rock of stability throughout time on earth and for all eternity.

Smith attained monetary riches, fame and passed through the hands of many men, but never had the cushion of a genuine marriage entered into with solemn enduring promises. We, as a society, must adjust our perspective. Marriage just isn’t a piece of paper or a ring. It isn’t all candy and roses. Sometimes, it has difficult moments that must be coped with. It isn’t merely a license to “bed-hop” that can be terminated on a whim.

It’s an institution ordained by almighty God that “no man should put asunder.” Holy Matrimony is a special sacrament where solemn promises and binding commitments are mutually in place; so as to create a permanent environment of strength and support among the spouses and for the care and nurturing of any children. It is tragic that Smith attained so much but enjoyed so little of life’s greater rewards.

I hope more men (and women) will still enjoy romance… but also put a greater emphasis on the permanent support structure of marriage. The old saying “Diamonds are forever” is misleading, unless it symbolizes the spouses being together and committed forever.

Men and women have to take their promises seriously over the long-haul: For better, for worse… For richer, for poorer… (Devotion) in sickness and in health… More marriages would succeed if the parties involved would literally place a higher premium on practicing the “Golden Rule” than simply courting, wooing and placing the gold band on a finger. An anchored marriage not only makes life enjoyable; but it can be a life stabilizer as well as a life-saver for those who need a companion along life’s journey.