DEAR CHRISTINE: Hoping third marriage will be lucky one

Dear Christine,
I am from a family that looks down on divorce. Even though my parents were unhappy, the thought of divorce was out of the question. You can imagine how everyone views me now that I am about to marry a third time.
I cannot tell you how guilty I feel about having failed twice before. I know, however, that I will never be happy as a single person and I want some kind of commitment. The live-together structure is not right for me.
I honestly think I’ve learned something from my past mistakes and I want this marriage to work.
I have two children and I know they couldn’t take it another time.
The man I am going to marry has been divorced three times, but he too, is committed to making this next marriage work.
Some of our friends take the attitude that if you’ve failed so many times, you will never make it. Do you think this is true?
– MLP
Dear MLP,
No! Do not believe the bitterness and pessimism of friends.
 Anything is possible and people can learn from past errors. I do not think couples expect the same perfection in second and third marriages as they do in their first.
 Unrealistic expectations destroy many relationships.
In any case, third and fourth divorces are not that common.
I believe it’s important for those who have been married before to carefully re-examine all the things that went wrong in the earlier marriages.
Everyone can learn from an honest review of the past.
– CHRISTINE