Two-Thousand Seven Hundred Eleven Weeks

Yes, that is over half of a century.  Two-thousand seven hundred eleven weeks to be precise and I won’t even tell you how many seconds that is.  What does it take to stay married to the same person for over 50 years?  I can tell you for certain, just researching a little to write this, that MANY things have changed in the past 50+ years.

For example:

In 1965, the average household income was $6,900.  In 2017, it is just about $70,000.  I think we can all agree that politics today have changed drastically compared to that of 1965.

What about Technology:  LED screen smart TVs, smartphones, virtual reality video games and self-driving cars; these are a few of so many new personal technological advances in the last few years. So many things have changed technologically in the past half-century that it’s almost impossible to list them all.

Life Expectancy:  The average human life expectancy in 1965 was approximately 70 years of age: 74 years for females and 67 for males. In 2017, the average human life expectancy is approximately 79 years: 82 years for females and 76 for males.

Total U.S. Population:  In 1965, the United States Census Bureau recorded a total U.S. population of 194.3 million citizens. By the end of 2017, this number is estimated to reach approximately 372 million. That’s a lot of people.

That is one certain thing in this awe-inspiring thing we humans call “LIFE” … times change, the world changes and so do the people along with it.

What hasn’t changed? Unconditional Love.

Today marks another year in the history book of my parents 50+ years of marriage.  I honestly do not know how they are able to survive it.  Marriage back in their day was a true promise and commitment, whereas, in today’s world, it appears to be less respected as a permanent bond.  Today, marriages are often counted in months, days, even hours, sometimes … but, I think that whatever marriage formula it is, it works for my parents.

Like all relationships, a marriage takes great effort to ensure each day is great … NOT at all made in heaven, or a “Fairytale” one – rather I would aptly call the marriage of my parents as a “Marriage beyond all Differences”.

One of great love, respect, and admiration and surely God has intervened to keep them together, in spite of, and despite everything they’ve endured as a couple, and we all have, as a family. Not only have they been able to love each other, unconditionally, but they extended that love to their children, and now grandchildren.

Not only have they been able to love each other, unconditionally, but they extended that love to their children, and now to the next generation, their grandchildren, whom they love and adore.
Mom & Dad: Thank you so much for showing us, your kids, and the rest of world that love can endure all of

Thank you so much for showing Michele, Robert and I, and the rest of world that love can endure all of life’s struggles, great hardships and sometimes, immense pain, and great fear of loss and the grief that would follow it.  Great love like that is NOT a faded thing of the past and no matter what, if you stick together, anything is possible!
I love  you both more than words can properly describe.  You mean the world to all of us, and I am truly grateful to God that I have had the honor of loving you both for 39 years (so far) and I look forward to much more. (That’s an order!)
I wish you the Happiest of Anniversaries and I am thanking the Lord for aligning the stars for me to be home with you.
On a side note: these 50+ years of marriage have resulted in 3 loving children and 7 equally loving grandchildren … who ALL love you more than we’ll ever be able to show you.  We hope you know that.