Happily Ever After

Halloween is my least favorite holiday, but the date, October 31st, is very special to me. On October 31, 1943, 70 years ago today, Halloween fell on a Sunday, and at 9:30 a.m., between Sunday School and church, my parents were married at the First Methodist Church in Monroe, Louisiana. And from that day forward, they have honored and fulfilled their wedding vows by devoting their lives to each other, for better, for worse ... for richer, for poorer ... and in sickness and in health. On their wedding day, America was in the midst of World War II. Times were tough and the future uncertain, to say the least. He was a handsome young sailor, barely 19 years old, and she was his pretty little 17-year-old high school sweetheart. They were deeply and madly in love ... and nothing would do but that they get married. Today, as we celebrate this extraordinary milestone in their lives, my parents are still just as deeply in love as they were that Sunday morning in 1943, if not more so. Of course, in 70 years of marriage there were some hard times ... and some sad times ... but their unwavering faith in God, and their abiding love for each other gave them the strength to endure them. My mother's favorite Bible verse is Corinthians 1:13:7, and I think it exemplifies their love and the life they have shared together: Love bears all things, Believes all things, Hopes all things, Endures all things. My family and I are so blessed to have these two beautiful people in our lives. They have been an inspiration to all of us throughout our lives, and I hope they know how much they are loved. Happy 70th Anniversary, Mama and Daddy!