Fifty years ago this day, Neal and I were married. We had thirty-four years together and as marriages of the fifties go, ours was pretty good. We matured together and prospered and raised two wonderful sons. And then in the fall of 1992, Neal died. I call those years my 'past' life. I am fortunate enough to have moved on to a present life full of love and family and friends and spiritual and intellectual growth. I am happy.
But this is not about me, it is about the celebration of forty years of marriage of Sue and Jack. Neal and I met Sue and her girls through a mutual friend in the middle sixties. Because her daughters and our sons were the same age, and because Sue and Neal were both teachers, we soon became good friends and have remained so.
Sue was a widow, struggling with a job and raising children and trying to establish some sense of self and so decided to give Parents Without Partners a try. There she met Jack. Jack brought seven daughters and one son into the marriage, Sue , her two daughters. The son died along the way and was sorely grieved. The nine daughters all grew into wonderful young adults and are each one a credit to the love and guidance and support that Sue and Jack have given them.
Sue and Jack have retired to Maine and the daughters have spread throughout the country. All but one of the daughters were able to come for the event, some husbands, many grandchildren and one fiance. It was wonderful to see them -- some of whom had been in Neal's History classes, some whose weddings we attended, all I have known and admired for their various successes. Not all of the successes have been happy. There have been estrangements and divorces, disagreements, reconciliations. There are yet a couple of underlying problems but I have faith that they will one day be resolved. That is my prayer.
We enjoyed fine wine and conversation, scrumptious canapes and conversation, good food and conversation, photo albums, a collection of pictures on DVD -- and did I mention conversation? It was a wonderful evening. It just doesn't get better than being with old friends. Friends forever.
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