Do You Take Each Other? We Do.
So there I am in church, not that far down the aisle, and the homily is just over. The priest announces a couple who are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary and they want to have the anniversary blessing. He calls them up to the front and they face the congregation. So far, so good.
He announces that the husband is wearing a hearing aid. “This has been a marriage made in heaven,” he says. “The wife can talk all she wants (she nods her head vigorously) and he can’t hear a word she says (he shakes his head just as hard). No wonder they made it all these years.”
The congregation laughed quite a bit at that line. But I rather think they laughed knowingly. It’s good not to hear each other now and again.
I was chatting with a close family friend on the phone one day. He and his wife had been married 65 years at that point. I said, “Do you think your marriage is going to last?” He said, “Wellllll, I don’t know.” In the background, his wife shouted, “Don’t bet on it!” Eighty-four years old and still able to laugh.
Used to be a 50th anniversary was a big deal; my grandparents’ was an item in the newspaper. Now they’re just tossed in with all the other 50’s, 60’s and even 65’s. No big deal at this point; we’re living longer. Marriages only lasted 25 years in 1900 before a spouse died; 12 years when Jesus was walking around.
He announces that the husband is wearing a hearing aid. “This has been a marriage made in heaven,” he says. “The wife can talk all she wants (she nods her head vigorously) and he can’t hear a word she says (he shakes his head just as hard). No wonder they made it all these years.”
The congregation laughed quite a bit at that line. But I rather think they laughed knowingly. It’s good not to hear each other now and again.
I was chatting with a close family friend on the phone one day. He and his wife had been married 65 years at that point. I said, “Do you think your marriage is going to last?” He said, “Wellllll, I don’t know.” In the background, his wife shouted, “Don’t bet on it!” Eighty-four years old and still able to laugh.
Used to be a 50th anniversary was a big deal; my grandparents’ was an item in the newspaper. Now they’re just tossed in with all the other 50’s, 60’s and even 65’s. No big deal at this point; we’re living longer. Marriages only lasted 25 years in 1900 before a spouse died; 12 years when Jesus was walking around.
posted by Tom Carten at 1:50 PM
1 Comments:
Sometimes I really do stop to consider what makes a good marriage. And my answer is the same as what makes good sex. And I'm not trying to be funny here. What makes it good is when you are other-absorbed rather than self-absorbed. I believe it was this attitude reflected in the comparison of Christ and his followers to a bride and bridegroom. Bottom line? My happiness is truly dependent upon my spouses - and as far as I can, I consider it my "job" to see to that happiness.
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