My husband and I have been married 53 years this week. We met in high school, married young, had our children young, and then stopped having children at a young age. By twenty-five we had two children and a mortgage and still had not finished college. We needed to stop, back up, and then head in another direction.

When we were parents of school-aged children, people at PTA often asked how old we were. But we were there supporting our kids and many in the neighborhood. Boy Scouts met at our house; kids rode skateboards on our street next to a drainage ditch where they all played. I taught swimming lessons to half the town and my husband coached baseball. We were within walking distance of a local grade school.

We’ve been through a lot together. We split up for a while once, when life got to be too much, but we got back together. We take care of each other. At our age we need to. Someone must be upright to support the other.

I fix dinner, he makes the coffee. We put the clean sheets on together and hang up our own laundry. We support the other.

 We went out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary and then headed home to turn off the sprinkler, take out the garbage, and wash the blouse I dripped food on. Fifty-three years. Many people don’t survive that long. A lot of marriages don’t. But as we near the end of this life it has been good to have someone to lean on. It’s a tough world and a partnership makes it easier. Love takes many forms, but support is important. We love and support each other.

I hope you have support in this life and give support as well. The journey is long, and companionship makes it worthwhile. Love is enduring.        

What are you reading, writing, loving, or creating this week?