Lovin' me some Old Love

For those of you who don't know, I work weddings. I love it. Everyone is happy and hope-filled. The brides glow when they are called Mrs. So-and-so for the first time, and even if the new in-laws are a little cranky, the champagne usually smoothes out conflicts. Pretty soon everyone is in a circle singing "We are Fam-i-ly!"

Yet, I often find myself feeling a tinge of skepticism. Sometimes, (forgive me!), I look at my giddy new couple and wonder "Is yours the one out of two marriages in our country that's gonna end with custody fights, alimony battles and tears?" We are making big hoop-law (is that how you spell that? :)) over a fairy tale that has a good chance of coming to bitter, not quite so happy ending.

Today was a different celebration of marriage: a fiftieth anniversary party. This couple fell in love at first sight, and got married less than a month out of high school. A slide show played at the party revealed the details of their past: three kids, a modest, happy home, and many years of running an ice cream shop together.

Now, it's possible for a miserable pair to mope through the years into their seventies. I wouldn't admire anyone for just rotting away over time in a disgruntled, lethargic stupor. These two have truly shared their lives with one another. Every, and I mean every day, they exercise together. They jog, they bike, they play with their grandkids. They volunteered for many years with Kiwanis. They save money to travel with their friends.

Just from the looks of them, they are very warm, friendly, and happy together. A daughter related how they've always left love notes for each other around the coffee pot or on the car steering wheel in the morning. He calls her "sweet" and treats her like a queen; she drops whatever she's doing if he needs her help. Two very strong and healthy individuals, they went out of their way to show appreciation to ALL of their guests. They didn't seem to be particularly wealthy, but the generousity they showed to each other and to all of the people around them seemed truly genuine.

And when they danced together, I cried.

Tell me what you think, is this lame?: I saved an invitation to the party that I found lying on a table. I'll put in on my mirror. I want to remember them, because I want to be just like them.