No Luck Involved

On more than one occasion  recently, I have been  asked how long I have been married.  When I replied, "nearly 35 years", the response was always the same, "WOW, YOU'RE LUCKY!"

Let me be the first one to shout from the highest mountain that LUCK has no bearing on the longevity of my marriage.  Simply put, it is a matter of priority.  I always say that I am a WIFE and a Mother.  My marriage came first.  I know, some of you may criticize.... but this is how I feel.  I was a wife before I was a mother.  I made a commitment to my husband for life, and he made one to me. 

Yes, we are parents.  And we adore our children.  And there were plenty times in our marriage when the children had to come first.  BUT, truth be told.... the kids move out and have their own lives - as it should be.  My husband and I are still here.  He is my number one priority.    I am his number one priority.

There was no luck involved when we survived the "lean" years.... There was no rabbit's foot to rub when we battled illnesses... No four leaf clover saved us from the aggravation of raising teenagers...

There was a lot of commitment.  There was a lot of love.  There was even a lot of screaming when necessary, but there was a lot of "making-up", too.  There was a strong desire to hold things together until we skated through the rough patches so we could enjoy the good times. 

No matter how rough the tough times were, the bottom line was that I knew Mr. W always loved me.  It has not always been easy, but it has always been worth the effort. 

The divorce rate is ridiculously high. One out of 2 marriages will not make it. Such a sad commentary on society.... Maybe people are relying on luck to make it work.