Rona Goold Blog

SEE:
http://www.smh.com.au/world/and-with-the-smashing-of-this-ring-i-thee-unwed-20100625-z9mc.html

The article talked about the ceremony giving 'emotional closure'. A Japan culture expert saw divorce ceremonies as a "welcome tool for Japanese to deal with shifting family structures".

The photo illustrating the article was a hammer smashing a wedding ring.

I've often been asked if I do Divorce ceremonies. Not yet, has been my response ... perhaps because the couple's relationship is so difficult that they are not able to agree upon how to end it !

It often seems to me that in our rather individualistic society, many of us have lost touch with the understanding that the process of getting married, formally changes the relationships between the families and friends of the couple.

A daughter's boyfriend becomes a son-in-law. A child one's step grandchild. A next door neighbour could become an aunt, if one marries her daughter.

The wedding ceremony assists everyone to acknowledge this change in relational status.

So when a couple divorces, how are those relationships re-aligned?

Why don't we have Divorce ceremonies?
Is it because divorce is such a taboo in Australia that denial is the way it's dealt with ?
Or have we as celebrants, not yet designed a ceremony that meets our cultural needs ?

Would a hammer be our symbol ?
Or are we too pragmatic for that ?

What would you suggest ?

Cheers

Rona