What I Learned From 52 Years of Marriage

Today my parents are celebrating 52 years of marriage. I have been privileged enough to have been around to see 46 of those 52 years. As a kid I had my view (sometimes biased of course) of who they were to me, but as an adult, these are a few of what I've learned about relationships from them...

Love is a start, but you need more in order to finish. I've had my share of relationships and love may have been a common ground, but when the ground starts to "shake" you need to know how to survive. My parents have been survivors, and it has amazed me how through the years tragedy and misfortune and just life in general has forged them closer.

Be the gentleMAN. I have seen my father completely DO for my mother, and it has rubbed off on me and my two brothers as well. Having a romantic sensibility, loving well, acting chivalrous, keeping your word, staying humble, offering your seat, opening doors...I could go on, but I hope you get the point.

Submission is not just for wives. As much as my father knows to do, there are times that he will completely yield to my mother. The word submission doesn't mean "do as I say", as many have stereotype it to be. It actually means "to line up under", and at the end of the day it doesn't matter who came up with the idea as long as the idea gets done. Men, don't expect submission if you can't submit yourself. That's is, that's all.

Now you may read this and say to yourself, "what lessons can I find in this?" I can find plenty but my hope is whether you had both parents in your life or not, the biggest lesson is appreciating the lost art of ENDURANCE. I feel I am one of the luckiest people on planet earth to have had this type of teaching in front of me. Even in my failed marriages, there were still lessons to learn and I will always appreciate John & Samella Randle for showing them to me...