For the readers who haven’t been consumed by Netflix’s reality TV dating show, Love is Blind, allow me to briefly fill you in. Netflix takes some singles – half of each sex – under the guise of an experiment to find out whether people can fall in love without having seen the other person. The sexes are split up into their own living quarters and ushered into individual rooms (called “pods”) to talk to their counterparts through a wall. In the pods, the couples spill everything from their hopes and dreams, to their traumas and fears, over the course of 10 days. The couples who feel the love get engaged in the pods, and then meet in-person briefly before being whisked away to a tropical vacation, where they will try to reconcile the voice with the person. When the honeymoon is over, the couples are sent to beautiful apartments to live together, meet each other’s friends and families, and navigate the trials of the “real world.” Lastly (but certainly not least), the couples meet at the altar. Only then do the contestants say whether they will marry their partner. All in all, the process takes about 4 weeks, and the ultimate answer to the question of whether love is blind is generally answered with a definitive yes.
As a long-term follower of the show, I’ve noticed a pattern among the contestants in its 4-season run. Falling in love is not the issue – it seems easy to fall in love with someone when you’re telling each other the deepest parts of yourself, with no distractions (the contestants don’t have phone or internet access until after the honeymoon) and no real-world obstacles in the way. It’s the trials of life that get to them, such as unacceptance from friends and family members, and the other person’s quirks or habits. Often, the mental strain and pressure to marry someone will lead to contestants saying “no” at the altar. These issues are not limited to the contestants of a Netflix TV show – their issues and concerns are not unique, and couples all around the world face these same obstacles in their relationships. So, to this fan, the real question isn’t whether you can fall in love blindly – instead, can you stay in love? And even so, is love enough? And when the answer to either of these questions is “no”, what do you do?
As a divorce attorney, there may be a cynical appreciation when someone says “no” at the altar, even though everyone may expect them to say yes. But as an eternal optimist, I believe in making the best of a difficult situation. Whether people date for four weeks or four years before marrying, divorce can be demanding, confusing and stressful. The only way out is through, and one certainly shouldn’t go through it alone. I joined The Manely Firm team because I believe in being a guide for people amid a difficult situation. With over 30 years of experience in domestic and international family law, The Manely Firm is equipped to handle any unique case from the quaintest Georgia county courthouse to the Supreme Court of the United States, and across countries that reach the edges of the map. I joined the prestigious attorneys at The Manely Firm to see my clients through and strive to be a guide through the obstacles of divorce, division of assets and debt, custody, and everything in between. I want the best for my clients. I am certain that they deserve it.
While love may be blind, divorce and separation won’t be with the right attorneys by your side. Take off the blinders. Protect yourself. You deserve it.
Jessy Devins