They were married in 1954 when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president and John F. Kennedy was a freshman senator. The Supreme Court had just passed its landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision desegregating public schools. The New York Giants won the World Series (the team moved to San Francisco in 1958 to become the San Francisco Giants). Gas was 21 cents per gallon. A stamp cost three cents. The minimum wage was 75 cents per hour and the average annual income was $4,000. The average cost of a new car was $1,700 and a new house was $10,250. Times have certainly changed!
In 1954, the top-rated film was Rear Window. It's a mystery thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and featuring such stars as James Stewart, Grace Kelly and Raymond Burr. The film is considered by many critics and scholars to be one of Hitchcock's best and one of the greatest films ever made. My wife and I enjoyed watching this film and despite the age, it is truly one to add to your list of movies to watch!
Since I want to be respectful to my parents' privacy, I am not sharing any other information than what year they were married — 1954. Recently, I read an interview that was conducted with a woman who had been married for 65 years, and the following is what she said is important for creating a long and happy marriage.
1. Love takes many forms
“Love plays an important role in my relationship — and it’s manifested in many ways. Of course, I’ve always been physically attracted to my husband. That’s romantic love. We have four children, and the love we share for them is a supportive, sacrificing love. As we’ve grown together, we now find we show our love in a caregiving capacity. Love changes with time. It needs room to adjust to the ups and the downs.”
2. Speak kindly or not at all
“Be careful how you speak to each other. Over the years I’ve found that if you want to say something unkind — wait a day! Tomorrow comes, and odds are you won’t want to say it anymore. You can’t take back unkind words; they are the things that break people up.”
3. Be flexible
“My mother said marriage is about two people giving 100 percent. Sometimes the husband gives 90 and you give 10; the next time, you try to give 90 and let him give 10. That kind of give-and-take is essential.”
4. Share hobbies
“My husband and I prioritize friendship. Relationships work best when you have certain things in common and enjoy each other’s company. We both like to travel, garden, hike in the woods, play board games and go to our cottage.”
5. Surprise each other
“It’s all about the little things. Pay attention to each other. Every time one of my children was born, my husband brought me a bouquet of yellow roses. He knows how much I like surprises too. Once, we saw a pink hardtop convertible in a showroom window. I told my husband how much I loved it. The next day we walked past, and it wasn’t there. I forgot all about it, but he didn’t. Turns out he had bought the car and stored it in a garage. Then on Christmas morning he got up at 1 a.m. and parked it in front of the house. I’ve never forgotten that.”
6. Give each other space
“Freedom is important. You have to be left to be yourself. I am a writer, and my husband always understood if I had to work late to get an assignment in on time. He loves to golf and curl, and I always let him go to championship games without making a fuss. We trust each other when we’re together or apart.”Those are some wise words! I love my parents very much and it is such a blessing to see them enjoying life side by side after 65 years of marriage!
From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),
Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek
Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:
- United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
- Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
- Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
- Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
- The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
- Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
- Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
- Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
- Some Cycling Moments From The Past
