Happily Ever After is Real.....

Saturday night I participated in celebrating a milestone that most married couples rarely reach these days. I helped throw a surprise 61st wedding anniversary party for a very special and dear couple. They have been like a second set of parents to me since I was a little girl and are two of the sweetest people I have ever known.  And yes, you read correctly.....they have been married for 61 years!!!

They arrived, we yelled "surprise" and later cut a cake that read "Happy 61st Anniversary." It was then when it occurred to me that there are very few couples who stay together this long. My great-grandparents were married for 74 years (my great-grandfather was in his early 90's when he passed and my great-grandmother lived to be 100). Each set of my grandparents were married for over 50 years prior to the passing of my grandfathers and my mom and dad will celebrate their 45th anniversary in April. However, I look around and realize that they are all the exception to the rule not the norm. 

The couple with whom we were celebrating are very happy and seem perfectly content in their marriage even after all these years. This also made me think about my paternal grandparents who acted like teenagers in love well into their 70's. They were always holding hands or taking care of each other in some endearing way. I tell Chris regularly that I want for us to be that way too.  He always answers with "we will be....remember I told you that I'm going to chase you until you catch me."  Fairytales do exist and happily ever after is very, very real......

Note: Reading this blog I realize that each of these marriages have lasted for so long because of the selflessness of the partners involved. Putting your spouse and their needs above your own is the true meaning of love.