I had the honor to witness the wedding of two very special people yesterday. It was wonderful to see two people make a commitment to one another and begin their lives together. Weddings mark the beginning of an institution with so much potential filled with hopes, dreams and love.
Weddings are wonderful and important. But they are just the start of a marriage. Too often, we get excited about the big event, then lose enthusiasm quickly in the long haul.
My wife and I were at our reception table. She asked the couples how many years they were married. One said thirty-three years. Another thirty-seven. A third had been married twenty years. We have been married for thirty-one years. Between the four of us, there were one hundred and twenty-one accumulated years. In today’s world, that is so uncommon and special.
Each of the couples has had wonderful moments and challenges. Some of us had been there for the other couple in a difficult time. We have laughed and cried together. We had done life together.
I cherish the wedding day my wife and I had on a sunny December day. But I cherish even more the journey we have had in our marriage. The beginning event and the vows are great. The result of living out those vows through the years is even better.
