True Love

My wonderful parents celebrated 60 years of marriage last week. Feel free to go ahead and clap, as that is certainly something to applaud.

The last few weeks found me working night and day on a scrapbook to commemorate the occasion. Actually, I just added on to the one from their 50th anniversary, so I'm only covering 10 years, not 60, thank the good Lord.

Here’s me and The Man with my sweet parents on the night of their celebration.

As I sorted through photos from days of yore, I couldn't help but wipe a few tears away now and then. I know some of the struggles my parents have faced through the years, and I know how difficult it can sometimes be to keep a family together, but I'm so proud of my mom and dad for staying together through thick and thin, through ups and downs, the good and bad. It has made all the difference in my life.

Marriage is sometimes more about commitment than about love. There are seasons in all marriages, and, in all frankness, some bring storms. Forgiveness is needed, but the good news is, if two people are both willing to work at getting through the difficult seasons (including seeking counseling, if necessary), love will surface again—only this time, a much deeper, more satisfying love than before. And the rewards of staying together will only get sweeter as the years unfold.

Often people ask, "How do you find true love?" The way I see it, true love is something that evolves. I mean, how can you know if your love is true until you've been through the fire together? My definition of "true love" is when everything else has been lost, when there's nothing left standing except the two of you, hand-in-hand, digging through the ruins together. That is true love.