Cathy Chester originally wrote this post about her 25th wedding anniversary in 2013, but its sentiments still hold true today. Of course she had to start off with a quote from “Fiddler on the Roof.” Read more from Cathy on her blog, An Empowered Spirit
Tevye: Do you love me?
Golde: Do I love him? For twenty-five years I’ve lived with him. Fought with him, starved with him. Twenty-five years my bed is his. If that’s not love, what is?
Tevye: Then you love me?
Golde: I suppose I do.
Tevye: And I suppose I love you, too.
Both: It doesn’t change a thing, but even so. After twenty-five years. It’s nice to know.~ From the Broadway musical, Fiddler on the Roof
On my parents twenty-fifth wedding anniversary I couldn’t wait to get home from school. I was a senior in high school and my two older brothers lived away from home. I looked forward to an evening of celebration with my parents at Windows on the World in the World Trade Center. I’d been there before, and remembered how exquisite the food (and wine) was, not to mention the spectacular view overlooking the skyline of Manhattan.
I was excited.
Our house was situated on a cul-de-sac that abutted several acres of woods on two sides. My father, a master gardener, planted groups of shrubs by our curb that, fifteen years later, grew to a height that hid our house from the rest of the neighborhood.
We lived in total privacy.
When I opened our front door, I immediately knew something was awry. The back door was wide open to our empty house. I walked up the steps leading to the kitchen and quickly glanced to my right. I saw a paper bag sitting in the middle of our dining room table.
My body quivered. When my brain finally caught up, I called the police.
We had been burglarized.
The burglars stole my mothers beautifully wrapped anniversary gift to my father, many valuables throughout the house, and then ran out the back door after they heard me.
My mother’s priceless silver was in the paper bag.
Despite the burglary my parents and I went to Windows on the World for dinner, but I still felt shaky and a little traumatized.
Despite the events of the day I learned an important lesson.
As we ate, I watched the obvious love between my parents as they toasted each other. They put aside what happened earlier that day. It wasn’t material things that mattered to them. What mattered was right in front of us: two people completely devoted to each other.
This was a time to celebrate.
I always knew the depth of my parent’s love, but as I watched them that night it was palpable. They were and are blessed with each other, and as I watched them I felt blessed as well.
Lesson One: Love really does conquer all.
This week, my husband and I celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary. We’ve survived many ups and downs, but through it all we’ve always had each other and our love to lean on.
It’s nice to be married to your best friend.
As we celebrate this happy occasion, we’ll toast each other, and the life we’ve created together that is a blessing every day.
We know it’s the little things that matter most in a happy marriage: love, trust, honesty and respect. We’ve learned this from our parents, and from Tevye and Golde, and use them as a guide to nurture our long and happy marriage.
Lesson Two: A loving marriage is a blessing.
Cathy Chester
Cathy Chester blogs at An Empowered Spirit, focusing on living a healthy and vibrant life after 50. Cathy’s lived most of her life with a disability, and knows it does not define her. Changing the face of disability is her passion, along with other issues of concern such as social good and animal rights. She was voted one of the best blogs of 2013 by Healthline and was nominated for WEGO Health’s Best in Show Blog for the past two years. She is also a regular blogger for The Huffington Post as well as a Blogger/Moderator for MultipleSclerosis.net and Healthline.
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