FIFTY YEARS
Cindy Maddera
Yesterday, on the longest day of the year, my parents celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Fifty years. In the grand scheme of things, what exactly does fifty years boil down to? For many fifty years would seem like a life time. When I look at Chris, some times I wonder if fifty years is really long enough.
None of us really understand how or why my parents have toughed it out this long. They rarely have anything nice to say to each other, let alone about one another. I definitely learned what I didn't want in a relationship from my parents. And who knows? Maybe all the bickering is just their thing. It's the glue that keeps them together.
I did learn yesterday that my parents never had a wedding cake. They got married in their preacher's home with my Mom's brother and future sister-in-law as witnesses. No reception. No cake. Yesterday was their first wedding cake. Looking back on the pictures taken of them yesterday, I couldn't help but think that despite the constant war, deep down there's still some sort of spark or something there.