Marriage, Children and Divorce: When "le music" stops

It can happen in many ways. Sometimes, suddenly, out of the blue, with no warning whatsoever. Other times, the music slowly, gradually, fades to a deafening silence. Divorce is the great plague on American families today. More than 40% of adults under 40 are children of divorced parents. The U.S. now has the highest divorce rate (roughly 44%) of the Western nations, though it's slightly declining. Avoiding it, preparing for it and dealing with the consequences of when the music stops involve millions of us every day. Here in France, where the "use" of a lover is accepted and frequent, the current divorce rate is 39%, having more than tripled since 1970. The trend is alarming. Even the French find their own institution of marriage "moins formidable" than before. Sitting in this near-empty caf