Anniversaries and Passings

Its been a while since my last post and that's o.k. I didn't want to add to the cacophony of COVID-related hyperbole or the national debate on racism that I fear will still be with us long after the pandemic is relegated to its place as a historical footnote.

This blog will celebrate happier themes that still deal with life and death which, apart from taxes, seem to be the universal constants. Last night my wife and I took a jaunt up to Genesee Mountain Park to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I have now been married for 10,950 days or 262,800 hours but who's counting. That's 30 years folks, and best of all, all of them to the same lady who caught my eye and my heart so long ago. So long ago yet it seems just the blink of an eye. Like any couple we've had our ups and downs, our highs and lows, good times and bad times, for better and for worse, richer and poorer, in sickness and in health but I'd do it all over again. Don't ask me for any tips or secrets to making it this long when so many relationships fall apart along the highway of time. I have a dear friend, Cecelia, who is known to share words of wisdom and she often says the key to marital bliss is "Happy Wife, Happy Life." I can't argue with that but from the male perspective I'd perhaps amend it to "Happy Spouse, Happy House" since it takes two to tango. All I really know is that after 30 years I'm still very much in love with the same person with whom I've shared all the travails and blessings of a life spent together.  

On a another note our family marked the passing of one of our own a week or so ago when my wife lost her father and my mother-in-law lost her husband of 55 years. Yes, that's a sad thing but he lived a life long and blessed and the night before he left us he was surrounded by his family, daughter and son, wife, and the apples of his eye, his four grandkids. I had almost preceded him back in April so while heartbroken at his leaving us I count myself fortunate to have been able to spend time with him I otherwise would not have had. 

Back in April I had promised myself to try to live each day to it's fullest. I knew full well when I made that pledge it would be difficult to achieve that goal and so it has proven to be. But perhaps it's in the effort that the dream is realized. Maybe simply trying does count a little bit after all. I don't know. Still, it's all I can do. One of the folks I still admire to this day from my work life (and there are not that many still standing upon their lofty pedestals) used to say that showing up was half the battle. Simple words, but for me, I fully intend to continue showing up for as long as I can. And to my Sophie who apparently destined to be my partner in this journey called life, you've got a date for 30 years from now, same place, same time.