This past weekend we attended a 50th wedding anniversary for some friends of our in New Jersey. It was a fun time and we had an opportunity to visit with a lot of people we hadn't seen before.
Such an occasion naturally inspires one to reflect on what it must be like to be married for 50 years. We're going to be celebrating our 48th in a couple of months so we're close enough to know and quite simply it comes down to the adage of "thick and thin", for better or worse, sickness and health, etc, etc. Throw in some love and determination and I think you have it.
There's no question about it. Fewer and fewer people are hitting that 50 year mark these days. The biggest reason I've observed is fairly obvious-one of the couples has died. But aside from that, the 'thin' and 'worse' parts of the bargain are often more than many people can take so they call it quits. This represents a big change from years ago. At that time many people were more likely to tolerate situations that today's couples would abandon.
There are many reasons for this seeming lack of commitment. Economic factors are a very big part of the equation but I believe another very large reason is that women have changed the way they look at themselves. They are no longer as dependent and submissive as their mothers and grand mothers. Most women today are self reliant, independent and confident. They aren't afraid to sever bonds they find unacceptable.
Just a theory. As for us? We're looking forward to that big 5-0.
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