What are "irreconcilable differences?"

I never understood the saying, “Happy New Year!” I always thought it was about "Get drunk and party." I mean from a child, I thought they were saying that to mean, “Have a fun New Year’s Eve,” or “Happy New Year’s Eve!” I guess because I have always been around alcohol in its various forms as long as I can remember. There's a picture of my beautiful mother in the 1960s with her hair perfectly coifed in the shape of a heart, her big, blue eyes looking wistfully at the camera. She's in an evening dress surrounded by what looks like some kind of holiday party. Someone has on a funny hat. It must be New Year's Eve. There is a face I recognize from the early days. Dark hair, red lipstick, always smiling Smitty. Charles and Smitty came to the house when my parents were still together, for drinks. I guess drinks (Mom called them "highballs") were a very popular way to socialize in the 50s. But this picture was after the divorce, I'm pretty sure.The sound of ice clinking in the glass, Charles laughing, Smitty's smooth syllables in her sweet Southern drawl. Charles and Dad went to law school together. Actually, I think they went to high school together too. I loved Charles and Smitty the way young children love, innocently, fondly, simply enjoying each other's company. Remembering them throughout my life: what makes that happen? What makes fond memories, kind memories, people who remain in your heart throughout the span of your life? After the divorce, everything changed, of course. I don't know what happened to Charles and Smitty. Of course, they must be gone by now. Did they stay together or did they get a divorce like my parents did? And after the divorce, what happens to all those friendships? What happens to the social life of friends who were couples when one couple gets a divorce? A revolving door of experimental friendships with other unattached adults? Here are some vaguely connected lines I tried to write about divorce from the perspective of a kid or at least an older person who was a child of divorce: Tell me something good about divorce If you can, cite me the source I'll wait while you rack your brain Don't take too long, it's starting to rain Different men come around but don't stay long. Songs say what feels right can't be wrong You know it's a lie but don't want to say Best plan is to run, run, run the other way Let me tell you something you might need to know God figured this out a long time ago The only One on Whom you can depend is the only One Who'll be with you until the end So no matter what the devil's dragged you through There's Someone Who wants to look after you Another way you have already found will grind you down and run you aground There's a way that seems right to a man But it's been wrong since time began It's too bad when you find out too late You never tried to learn how to wait Ever since no-fault divorce and the "irreconcilable differences" grounds for divorce, the divorce rate has skyrocketed, and marriage has been cheapened by our culture in general. It is so sad. I hope there is some way to get back to real marriage, but, as some have put it, "You can't unscramble eggs." We have made our bed and now we must sleep in it, another dumb way of looking at it. The real tragedy is what it does to the next generation: the children. I remember when people used to stay together for the children. My parents didn't do it, but there were still remnants of it, at least in the generation of my grandparents. Of course, that went away when everyone decided they had a right to their personal freedom and to just kick one out and get another if you "fell out of love," met someone or just got bored. The real problem was not being able to live with yourself in the first place. If that got figured out, I imagine a lot of relationships would work out better. Well, I'm about all wrung out for this evening. I'm reading a novel that takes place in 1949, and it is evoking a lot of memories. There is a major error in the book though. The divorcing people are citing "irreconcilable differences" as grounds, and that didn't happen until 1969 or 1970. In 1949 you had to have a real reason for divorce. People have always had reasons, the no-fault version just let everybody off the hook of accountability to anyone, the other person, yourself, your community, the world or God, depending on where you live on the spiritual plane. It's a very sad state of affairs, for sure. Let's hope some people figure some of these things out before they ruin their own lives and their children's lives, dishonor each other and thumb their noses at God. Just saying.Seems to me like if you're going to do something God hates, at least you should have to state a real reason.