One of the happiest days of my life was the day I walked my daughter Merrie down the aisle. I'm not sure how well any of us are prepared for marriage. Close personal relationships are challenging. I don't know any two people that can live together and not have differences about something. Marriage is certainly one of those relationships. Marsha worked so hard for the wedding of our daughter and she loved it as well. Little did we know that so many years later their marriage would be a delight to them (Rich & Merrie) and a delight to us. Our own marriage was one of those so called miracles. Marsha and I started with no money and a lot of immaturity and life issues to overcome. Some of the years of our marriage were difficult for us and for our children. Our home was not always the happiest place, but we were committed to make our marriage work. Because we worked at our marriage, I know it became a delight to us and I think also to others who knew us. As a priest I so often spoke of how our human marriages are meant to be a sign similar to Christ's love for his bride the church. Our love for one another is meant to be as obvious as the love of Christ for the church. I pray that people saw that kind of love between Marsha and I in the latter years of our marriage. I know I felt like I glowed when I was with her, and I loved to see the glint in her eye when she looked at me. I was so proud of what we had done with our lives. I look at my family, both my children as well as my grandchildren, and I see the influence our love has had even with a difficult start. I know I would not be the man I am today without the grace poured out upon my life by my good fortune of sharing life with Marsha. Some people look at that kind of commitment today as unnecessary. Living together is enough for some and leaving a marriage quickly when something that didn't work out as planned are all too common. The best comes from doing the work, and that is true in marriage as in all of life. Marsha you blessed me so much by hanging in there with me and working to make it work. Love happened along the way, precious love.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Marriage
One of the happiest days of my life was the day I walked my daughter Merrie down the aisle. I'm not sure how well any of us are prepared for marriage. Close personal relationships are challenging. I don't know any two people that can live together and not have differences about something. Marriage is certainly one of those relationships. Marsha worked so hard for the wedding of our daughter and she loved it as well. Little did we know that so many years later their marriage would be a delight to them (Rich & Merrie) and a delight to us. Our own marriage was one of those so called miracles. Marsha and I started with no money and a lot of immaturity and life issues to overcome. Some of the years of our marriage were difficult for us and for our children. Our home was not always the happiest place, but we were committed to make our marriage work. Because we worked at our marriage, I know it became a delight to us and I think also to others who knew us. As a priest I so often spoke of how our human marriages are meant to be a sign similar to Christ's love for his bride the church. Our love for one another is meant to be as obvious as the love of Christ for the church. I pray that people saw that kind of love between Marsha and I in the latter years of our marriage. I know I felt like I glowed when I was with her, and I loved to see the glint in her eye when she looked at me. I was so proud of what we had done with our lives. I look at my family, both my children as well as my grandchildren, and I see the influence our love has had even with a difficult start. I know I would not be the man I am today without the grace poured out upon my life by my good fortune of sharing life with Marsha. Some people look at that kind of commitment today as unnecessary. Living together is enough for some and leaving a marriage quickly when something that didn't work out as planned are all too common. The best comes from doing the work, and that is true in marriage as in all of life. Marsha you blessed me so much by hanging in there with me and working to make it work. Love happened along the way, precious love.
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Your marriage was certainly an example for others! Ryan and I often look to you and Aunt Marsha as role models.. the way you beamed when she'd sing out loud or tell great stories... your love for each other was so strong it was almost tangible!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for that!!