Celebrating 57 Years of Marriage

Last Sunday, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Larry and I celebrated our 57th wedding anniversary.  How we got here so fast is a puzzle. It seems like yesterday we were making our vows at my parents' parish, St. Augustine in Elkridge, MD. Sunday was drizzily and chilly unlike that glorious October 4th in 1969 which was sunny and warm. I'll never forget my dad's toast wishing us the combined fertility of both families. I was one of 11, ten living; Larry was one of 11, nine living. Needless to say there was plenty of laughter in the room.

What do we have to show for our long life together? The jewels of our married life are five children, over two dozen grandchildren, and now four born great grands and two little ones growing under their mothers' hearts. God truly blessed us when the priest prayed that we would see our children and our children's children...and now our children's children's children.

When we bought Camp Kreitzer in 2002, we thought of it as our family retreat center and so it was for about twenty years. We had big family holidays where everyone wrote messages on the holiday tablecloth made from a sheet. There were campfires, swim parties, and yard olympics. One fourth of July we and the kids organized a 5K fun run complete with T-shirts and ending with laughter, watermelon, swimming, a cookout and a bonfire. What incredible happy times they were for us. 

Now we've moved into the busy years of our grandchildren's lives. Several are married. One has joined the Marine Corps. Others are in college or out and about in the world. The big family gatherings are rare these days. We miss them, of course. We've entered the stage of life that is blessed with silence and serenity a time of meditation and preparation for the end of the race. The finish line is close. 

We aren't lonely; it's amazing how busy life can be for us old folks. We celebrated our anniversary with a brunch after Mass with two couples from Church and came home to chat, play games and finish our five Sunday rosaries for our children and their families. It was a gloomy day weatherwise, but can a happy Catholic ever really live in gloom. 

As I was praying yesterday morning I thought of long distance runners. You might be running in a crowd at the start, but soon things spread out and each runner is basically alone with his thoughts pacing himself to finish the race strong. And that's where we are. I love the silent mornings and the time alone with the Lord. I love to sit outside on the porch and thank Him for another day of life to hopefully grow closer to Him. I say thank you for all the gifts with which He's blessed me, especially redemption and for the blessing of a good and faithful husband and father to our children. I still love to cuddle the babies when the opportunities arrive. Larry enjoys tutoring math for our local grandchildren. One of the highlights of the summer was a trip to Chincoteague with our youngest and her family reading stories with our littlest grandchild on my lap, two-year-old Guy. He is Momma's little guy, but he loved reading books with his grandma. 

Every stage of life is a blessing and as we near the finish line I rejoice in both the past and the present: the joys and the sorrows, the blessings and the challenges. I think of the film, Life is Beautiful. It reveals a profound truth, that nothing can separate us from the love of God, no matter how painful and grim. The hero of the movie, Guido, retains his courage in the death camp, convincing his little son that it's all just a game with a big reward at the end, a tank. He gives his life maintaining the illusion for the child. 

For Larry and me, today is a new day in the adventure of life. At some point one of us will be taken and the other left. That reality is known only to God. And so we live the present moment. I'll be doing my Tuesday chores and will spend the afternoon volunteering at our little local independent library. It will be an ordinary day, but is any day really ordinary? Every single one is an extraordinary gift from God no matter what it brings. May we all recognize that whether the day is Good Friday or Easter Sunday or any ordinary day in life's journey, it is a true blessing. 

May Jesus Christ be praised!