55 plus 30

55 plus 30 more or less

It wasn’t too long ago that all drivers were to follow the 55 mph speed limit in order to preserve gasoline. In today’s traffic that speed would seem incredibly slow…crawling. Although a car going that speed seems slow, a marriage with that many years is at warp speed.

What a blessing it was when our anniversary dawned! The day before it snowed 3 to 4 inches. School was dismissed. Traffic slowed. Our plans were changed — a visit to the new Borders’ book store and eating out. We stayed at home. I looked at the card that Ed chose for me. He wrote loving words in it. I planned to buy a card. What would I do! Never fear, internet is near, I sent him an e-card.

Such a blessed comfortable day. We recalled the frenzy of our wedding day, the aftermath when we found our new car traditionally decorated. One wedding anniversary I remember lying on the doctor’s table waiting for an exam and the news, “You are pregnant…again.” Through the years we often worked on February 1st, and we celebrated in various ways.

One year we drove to the new airport and rode the escalator. One year we ate in I-Hop and one year in Applebee’s. We often went shopping in our retirement years. When we began that way of celebrating, we went from store to store for four to six hours. Now it is one or two hours. It didn’t seem to matter how we celebrated, the important thing always, we were together.

We discussed the many experiences we have had, including children, weddings, grandchildren, great grandchildren, moving, caring for Mother, funerals, family reunions and we decided that definitely these are the best years of our marriage. Contentment reigns despite little things that happen.

We give God thanks for our years together and all the blessings He has given us. How can we ask for more? When Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary there was much celebration, a program, a reception. I remember that Dad was hoping he would make it through the celebration with his weak heart.

A year later he was gone and Mother often told me how God had blessed them with one more year. She called it ‘borrowed time’. And we have spent four more years together that they did. I call it our Serendipity Time. It takes time to learn to grow old together, but it definitely is worth the joy and the wonder we feel every morning together. We may be in the twilight years, but we are in the morning years of love.

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