Thirty one years ago Bob and I went to my parents home to tell them some big news. Only my mom was home. We told her we had gotten married a few hours earlier and she didn’t believe us. Nope, she didn’t believe us. It wasn’t until she took notice that Bob was wearing a wedding ring that it really hit home for her.
My dad was at the Officer’s Club and I called him and asked him to come home that I had something to tell him. Having not been anywhere except home and the hospital (for my mom) for the last three and a half weeks he wasn’t ready to come home yet as he hadn’t been there long at all and really needed to get out of the house. I didn’t want to tell him over the phone so I told him to stay there that we were on our way. Since my mom had had some health issues and was still dealing with it, he insisted that I tell him what I had to tell him over the phone. I could see where he was coming from because he was thinking something had happened to mom. So I told him, “Dad, I got married today.” He didn’t believe me. Mom got on the phone and told him it was true, Bob was wearing a wedding ring.
I never did figure out why it was they didn’t believe me. I think they were sorry we just went off and got married. I really think Dad wanted to walk me down the aisle and now I had taken that from him.Well, we ended up at the Officer’s Club and we had quite the impromptu party.
Fast forward 31 years. We’re older, grayer, we weigh more, we’ve learned a lot, we’ve seen a lot, we’ve argued and fought, we’ve kissed and made up, we’ve had good times, bad times, rough patches and smooth sailing. We’ve had a marriage.
Through the years I’m sure there were times we both thought we’d go our separate ways. But we didn’t, we stayed and worked it out.
Marriage isn’t easy. Especially, when you stop working at it. We’re both guilty of that. Sometimes we take each other for granted and just figure the other will be there no matter how much we just assume that what we do….or don’t do….is okay.
Marriage isn’t easy. I’ve often thought that marriage should have renewable contracts every 5 years or so. But then that would be too easy to just throw the towel in.
Marriage isn’t easy but if its worth having, its worth working for.
Nope, not easy. Hard work, lots of compromising, lots of forgiving, lots of give and take, but if you stick it out you end up living your dreams,,,,like us. And that makes it all worthwhile.
4 comments:
Well said, Snookie! Sharing your lives for the long term is something that's priceless. Glad you shared this, and Happy Anniversary!!
Aw, LOVED this post, Snookie! Les and I have only been married 3 months longer than you and Bob. We have much in common, and barely 'know' each other!
Congrats on sticking it out. Sometimes it IS hard, but the joy comes with the triumph in working through the hard times. The comfort and ease that we now share, 31 years into our marriage, is the BEST kind of comfort.
If you two come to the west coast sometime during your travels, I hope we can meet up and have some time together.
~Donna
Great post & you hit the nail on the head! Too many now days don't know how to tough it out, make up, and work at it. It's not always a bed of roses & sometimes those thorns hurt, but the beauty of the flower makes it all worth while! 43-1/2 yrs. & it's still the best thing I've ever done. Congratulations to you both for a job "well done so far"!!
LOVE this post Snooke. Very well said.
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