A few weeks ago, I was at a 50th wedding anniversary of our friends parents. The 'groom' let us in on a secret. You see, 50 years ago, when he proposed to her, he couldn't afford a ring. So, instead of a ring, he got her something 'appropriate'. He promised his bride-to-be that he would get her a ring, in his words -- "as soon as I can". Well, they married and life got busy. They had a daughter and time flew. And before they knew it, it was their 50th wedding Anniversary. Never forgetting the promise he had made, he gave her a ring that day in front of about a 100 guests, apologizing that his "soon as I can" took 50 years!
The lady of the evening said she really didn't care, that the ring was just an accessory with the main package (the groom!). I've known this couple for more than a decade. I don't know how much money or property they have, but without a doubt, they are the happiest couple I know. They visit me in the office once in a while and whenever they come into our office, our staff lights up and just can't stop smiling.
So I guess happiness in a relationship depends on a lot of things. How we prioritize our values as couples would vary among different people. Materialistic things do tend to lose their shine & glitter after some time. How about love, understanding, tolerance and trust? Does their luster get less bright with time? Probably not, and the opposite is actually true. These grow with time. No amount of glitter & jazz can match the wealth of a trusting relationship.
"No man is truly married until he understands every word his wife is NOT saying!" ~ Author unknown
The lady of the evening said she really didn't care, that the ring was just an accessory with the main package (the groom!). I've known this couple for more than a decade. I don't know how much money or property they have, but without a doubt, they are the happiest couple I know. They visit me in the office once in a while and whenever they come into our office, our staff lights up and just can't stop smiling.
So I guess happiness in a relationship depends on a lot of things. How we prioritize our values as couples would vary among different people. Materialistic things do tend to lose their shine & glitter after some time. How about love, understanding, tolerance and trust? Does their luster get less bright with time? Probably not, and the opposite is actually true. These grow with time. No amount of glitter & jazz can match the wealth of a trusting relationship.
"No man is truly married until he understands every word his wife is NOT saying!" ~ Author unknown
