Evendays

It’s really none of my business, and I might should just keep my mouth shut, but when my parents got married on May 10, 1958 they had but 5 dollars in their pockets and an unopened box of Bisquick on their shelf. Dad had just started a job reading meters for Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Mom had barely emptied her suitcase from her cross-country bus trip from Little Rock to Fresno when they made the trip to the Preacher and tied the knot. Grandma T, if legend is correct, paid for the marriage license and the deed was done. Or just started.

I was born 11 months later. Sister 1 was born in June of ’61. Then after a very, very long timeout (more like a hiatus) triplets entered the family at the end of 1976.

Wife’s Father used to tell of a couple at the restaurant who had just ordered champagne. Glass in hand, the husband looked his wife in the eye and said: Here’s to 45 years of happy marriage. “But we’ve been married for 50 years,” she replied. “Like I said”, he continued, “here’s to 45 years of happy marriage.”

I celebrate not only the duration of my parents’ life together, but also their consistency. They’ve showed up at the plate for the next at bat, prepared to play, trying to put the ball into play. And they’ve always had the whole team behind them.

Had we been there on that May 10, fifty years ago, we might have counseled patience, reflection, perhaps told them to save up a bit of money because you never know what will happen next. (“I mean, at least wait till you’ve got two boxes of Bisquick and $200.00 in the bank”). And perhaps we would have been wise, and they all the wiser to follow our advice.

But it really was another world back then. And the Bisquick got eaten and the 5 bucks got spent. The surprises came. But their faith never gave out. And finally, neither has their love for each other.

And that’s an event worth celebrating.

Wife and I try to remember every 26th of every month. Sometimes the day slips by without one of us greeting the other with the mandatory “Happy 26th”, but not often.

However, the 26th of February is a never-to-forget day. For on this 26, Wife and I celebrate 24 years of happy marriage.

It’s amazing, phenomenal, blessingtudinal and humbling to see that, even at a young age, when so many things you do are infinitesimally stupid, God led you in the most important decisions in life.

Thank you, God. And thank you, Wife. Je t’aime…