Journey Forward

Come Away With Me
Daytona Beach, FL

We just celebrated twenty-five years of marriage, a personal milestone and something few reach any more. I can't speak for others, but I think most marriages have the commodities luxury affords but lack the basic ingredient: friendship. Few marriages that I see near and around me have this one ingredient. To me, it's very important.

Last year, I witnessed a wonderful marriage draw to a close. A great man kept his vows to an even greater woman. Dad was by my mother's side the whole time trying to soothe death's passage. The image still haunts me. I've never witnessed so much love in my entire life. The vows, their original vows, were at play: "'Til death do us part." Dad was there for my mother even though she could no longer recognize him, I knew she could sense his presence and feel his adoration for his queen.

Dad's unconditional love and his steadfastness was also a result of the reciprocal love that my mother kindled for him. She loved him and understood his strengths, and worked around his weaknesses and calmed his anxieties. She was not only his friend but also at times his mentor and doctor. She was also his personal standup comedian. Those events that others would describe as turbulent where simply bumps along the journey according to Mom. All of this were lessons learned from Mom and Dad. Their marriage transcended a death of a child and many physical, emotional, and financial setbacks.They also experienced numerous triumphs of success and were blessed continuously by an abundance of friends and extended family.

As we sat across the elegant dinner table, my wife and I, I thought about today, and I smiled about tomorrow, no turbulence, just a few bumps along life's journey. Two soul mates partnering and sharing life "'til death do us part".