Saturday, June 13, 2015

Married At First Sight S:2 Finale Decisions, Decisions!





In the Married At First Sight Season 2 Finale Tuesday night, the initial 6-week social experiment came to an end.

 Viewers were on the edge of their seats, while watching the first hour that recapped the journey of each couple. The suspense built to a crescendo that had us all on a roller coaster with stomachs tied in knots. Going into decision day, the individuals had a lot to say.








The Good

Jess: Ryan is being so much more affectionate than I could have ever imagined and I'm loving every bit of it. 

 Ryan: Things are taking a turn for the better. I think Jess and I want the same things for the future. We both want to be happy and have a family. 





Ryan: Jaclyn is a very loving person, she's a caring person, she's very loyal and seems to have my best interest at heart. 

 Jaclyn: Ryan is a great person. He's very family oriented. He's a solid guy and has really strong character. Those qualities that don't come around very often.






Sean: We've developed a friendship and that's something to consider, because friendship is the basis of all relationships.

Davina: We're able to see life as an adventure. When struggles come about, we're able to recognize them and help each other through them, rather than drag each other down. 




The Bad


Jess: I've been through every single emotion I can think of in 6 weeks and I'm nervous. It's been a hell of a roller coaster. 

 Ryan: What scares me the most is not knowing what she's thinking.








Jaclyn: I really do love Ryan and his family, but I don't see me living in Long Island and I don't see him living in Jersey. 

Ryan: I'm not at that point yet where I can just say this is 100% what I want to do, to uproot wherever I'm gonna go and fight myself day and night about being away from my family.




Davina: I think in this marriage we have both thrown up blockades and retreated away from each other. 

Sean: There have been a lot more challenges to this relationship than any other relationship in my life. Just the logistics of it...our careers, emotions, the intensity of the process.



The Ugly

Ryan: She's a very dominant person. On a scale of 1-10, she's a 15. I feel like it's too much sometimes with her.

Jaclyn: I had to carry the team. I felt like I was alone and I felt like he really let me down. And the disappointment was hard to bear. 








Sean: I did try the commute and it took over two hours. I'll be honest with you, it's not something that I can do. 

 Davina: Decision day is definitely bigger than my wedding day. I chose to be part of the experiment. I didn't choose to be with Sean. Today is the day where I make the choice whether to stay with Sean. I'm happy with my decision. 

Jess: My biggest fear if we decide to stay married is that the Ryan that I got the first four weeks will pop up again. I don't want that person.

 Ryan: There were days I didn't want to come back. I just don't know if she's the right person for me and that's big.









The Decisions


Davina: My decision is that I want a divorce. I think Sean is a great person and there's been the cultivation of a friendship, but it's a platonic relationship. I've learned that I need a really strong man with me and beside me.

Sean: My decision is that I want a divorce. Davina is a good person with a good heart, but she's not the person for me. There will be a man someday that will find her and be very, very happy. I'm not a weak person. I know I'm strong and I can be a rock.







Ryan: It's been crazy. Coming into this I didn't expect it to be easy. Each day there was a new challenge and obstacle. But to be completely honest, I wouldn't have changed it. And for that reason, I'm going to stay married. 

Jess: I knew what my challenges were and I've been able to work on them. It's been a roller coaster of emotions, but I'm honestly grateful for the highs and the lows. My decision is, I want to stay married. 







Ryan: There's nothing easy about marriage. But if marriage and that person is worth it, than that work won't seem so difficult. My decision is to stay married. 

 Jaclyn: I tried to see the positives in everything through this experience. We have been supportive of each other. I understand that he didn't have any negative intentions. I want to give this a chance and I want to stay married.



*****

Although 2/3 of the couples chose to stay married, it appears from the 6-Month Later preview that life was not all paradise them. We shall see next week how that unfolds.




A Bee in My Bonnet 

I started doing a "Top Tweets" blog each week because of all the great interaction between #MAFS fans on social media. It was such a joy to read the many creative and humorous thoughts. My husband would often join in and we would be in stitches.

 As the season progressed, people became more passionate about the show and invested in the outcome. Lines were drawn and sides were taken. As an equity and social justice advocate, I've always been a proponent of respecting all opinions and honoring multiple perspectives. 

 However, weeding through more than 1,000 tweets to find very few that were lighthearted, humorous and positive, was painful for me, as a viewer. I can only imagine what those personally involved in MAFS felt.  

 Ryan & Jaclyn, Sean & Davina, Ryan & Jessica and the four experts are human beings, with hearts and feelings. They bravely put themselves out there, so that we may learn and grow with them. No one was more invested in the process and outcome than they were. They lived it. 

Feeling disheartened, I started to wonder...when using social media, how can we be authentic, yet respectfully speak our truth? Where is the fine line between voicing our opinions and causing pain to others with our words? 

 And finally, for someone who holds honesty in the highest regard, I struggle that someone can anonymously claim fact, causing much damage, when there is no proof of validity. I'm a firm believer that the truth will eventually come out. My hope is that it comes directly from a credible, verifiable source. That is what I will put my trust in. 

I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below.





 Read MAFS Season 2 Blogs:
All screen caps made by Bee, courtesy of FYI, and A&E






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