My wife and I celebrated our 47th wedding anniversary yesterday. 1978 seems like forever ago and it kinda was. We’re closing in on a half century together. Saying it that way makes it feel like an even BIGGER number. I’ve been straining my brain to think of someone, anyone, from our era who are still married and I keep coming up blank. I watched a couple on TV some years ago who were celebrating their 75th anniversary. When asked their secret for a long marriage the man said simply, “don’t leave and don’t die”. I laughed as it seemed funny, but now I think he was on to something, even if it seemed wrapped in a joke.

Turns out, neither my wife or I ever considered leaving our marriage an option. We had plenty of disagreements and arguments, some of them loud, but our reaction was never to pack up and leave. She tells me the same thing. We have known other couples, friends, who when faced with similar adversity moved out. A few of them got back together, but it never stuck. Maybe following through on leaving eventually made that option seem more palatable?

As for that “don’t die” part, well, there’s not much I can do about that. I hope to be around to celebrate Fifty and a few more with my bride, but that’s above my pay grade. Our long ago promise to each other was until death do us part…