All of a sudden we have a string of major wedding anniversaries here at the retirement home. One invitation we received was from a couple up on the eighth floor, Ben and Rose, who will be celebrating their 60th anniversary. We went to the modest party and were truly impressed at the length of their marriage. A week later we heard about a couple on the third floor who will be celebrating 65 years of wedded bliss. Their neighbor told us about them and asked us if we could suggest a suitable gift.
Today we received an envelope from the sixth floor. The Bells. They sent a beautiful card made by their fifth great-grandson who is an art student. “Please join us for drinks on the patio on November 30th at 6pm. We will be celebrating 70 years of happiness together.”
“Wow!” I thought, “That’s a long time to be married to the same person. I hope they are a happy couple.” And indeed they are. In fact, they are role modes in this retirement home.
In the old days when life expectancy was 50 years, a marriage too, was limited. As life expectancies increased so have marriage records hit new highs. A couple in their 90′s – not such a rare phenomenon in today’s world – may have been married for 70 years with ease. A generation is traditionally taken to be 25 years and nothing will change that. So a couple in their nineties can easily chalk up a 70th celebration.
Make you think, doesn’t it? So before you take that walk down the aisle and utter the binding words, be sure about your soon-to-be-spouse – with good health and good genes on your side you will be in for a long innings together!