Forty Years On

A wedding anniversary can be an occasion to remember why you got married in the first place, what you love about this person, why you like being with them.
Every year my husband and I usually do something on our own for our wedding anniversary. It could be anything from a walk and a picnic, going to the cinema, or a weekend away. At the most we might have involved our children, but it really seemed to be our celebration.
This year, though we will be celebrating forty years of marriage.

When I was a little girl (I told you I'd be saying that a lot more now), the moment I realized I couldn't marry my dad, I knew I would need a husband. I was about three at the time and I remember it clearly. I knew I would need a husband to keep me safe so I could go to bed at night and sleep peacefully.
Sometimes I'd lie awake wondering what my future husband was doing and where he was, this was when I was about four or five.
It seemed to be the most wonderful thing in the whole world, your own personal protector that no-one else could take away from you.
Ah yes that was a long time ago, but nothing changes there.


Anyway, every year on our wedding anniversary, the one constant thing we were both always grateful for was our children. If we hadn't married each other, we wouldn't have had them, and a life with them in it was a wonderful life whichever way you looked at it.

Everything starts with family. Everyone starts out in some sort of family. That's where all our strengths and weaknesses come from. That is where luck comes in. Lucky are those who are born into a nice family, with nice parents. It's also down to luck where you're born, which country, which continent, which town.
The real luck though is what is in your heart. You can be born into a good family, in a big house in the country with a pony at the bottom of the garden, into a single parent family in a small flat, in a country that is not at peace, etc but the human heart holds the real luck. If there is love, then that is stronger than anything else. How does the love get there? Who puts it there' That is the question, but with love you can conquer anything. A family, with all it's faults, is the best you can get, like democracy, like monogamy, it's not perfect, but it's still the best.
You are lucky if you have love in your heart.

In one of my sons I can see my brother, in my daughter I can see my mum, in another son I see my dad. Life gave me back the people I loved and missed. I expect my husband sees his loved ones in them too. You see, they seem to have taken the best of us and that's what you hope as a parent isn't it? you want to give your best to your children.

I digress, back to the fortieth wedding anniversary.
Of course I knew it was a Ruby one so I looked up what rubies symbolize.

Rubies arouse the senses, stir the imagination and are said to guarantee health, wisdom, wealth and success in love. Wow !! What's not to like about that?
The ruby has always been associated with love and passion and in its heart is thought to lie the flame of fire that grows brighter with each passing year.

A ruby is reputed to bring its owner peace, drive away frightful dreams and help restore disputes, just like a husband..

This year it's not going to be just my husband and me. We've invited all our precious family, those who have helped us, stood by us, come to our aid when in distress, laughed with us, cried with us. Above all who like being with us, and we of course with them.

Life's not easy for anybody but to have a family is the most precious thing you can ever have.