John and Joan Williams
"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." - 1 Corinthians 13 (in part).
On September 26th 2009 my parents celebrated 64 years of marriage!
There is not a grander day in the life of many than the day of the wedding. And rightfully so. Just the right wedding dress must be chosen, the most beautiful of churches or settings must be found to hold the expected crowd, bridesmaids and groomsmen, flower girls and bible bearers, reception halls and wedding cakes, decisions of every kind are to be made. There is so much planning that must go into the approaching day of days and everything must be done just right. Finally the moment arrives and the groom stands in front of the gathered crowd awaiting his lovely bride as she comes down the aisle on the arm of her father. After she is given to the groom, the attention now focuses on the minister as the serious part of the ceremony begins. The vows of a bride and groom usually go something like this: "Wilt thou have this man(woman) to be thy wedded husband(wife), to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love him(her), comfort him(her), honor and keep him(her), in sickness and in health and forsaking all other keep thee only unto him(her), so long as ye both shall live? With promises made, a kiss granted, and hands joined together, the young couple is pronounced husband and wife and strolls back down the aisle to the smiles and cheers of the people.
Or in mom and dad's case.
Dad was home from the service and had dated mom for just two weeks. He had been a friend of her brother, Harold, and had run with him but Harold had warned him in stronger language than I am now speaking to stay away from his sister. But dad tells of a time when in the family house of looking across the room and seeing Harold's kid sister in a new way. He said, "Mom do you remember that day when I looked across the room at you and our eyes met?" Mom smiles and nods her head in such a way as to tell you that she will never forget it. The meeting of the eyes - what can that do? Well, it must have done a lot for 64 years later they are still together. Dad joined the service but wrote to her often. In a two week leave from service while back home mom and dad made a decision to start life together. They went to the preacher's house - Brother Floyd Davidson - who was not yet home from work. After waiting for some time, he arrived home and they asked him the question - would he marry the two of them? His reply was that he was "supposed to get people out of trouble, not into it." Without any further ado he left them there and went on to do chores, milking the cows, etc. They must of not took him too seriously (nor life for that matter) for they found a group of people playing softball and joined in the game. The preacher, freshly cleaned up from chores called them into his house where they would exchange vows. The bridesmaids and groomsmen consisted of two who would be witnesses, mom's sister, Pauline, and dad's brother, Austin. The congregation looking on consisted of Grandma Ritter, the preacher's wife and two boys. With promises made the two began life together as one.
Life makes many a twist and turn, indeed some for the better and some for the worse, some days feeling on top of the world, and others where sickness has taken its toll, but 64 years later the vows are still being kept. This couple that joined together back when he was 20 and she a mere 16 (almost 17 she always says!) years old are still living, loving, honoring, keeping, and forsaking all others. 64 years later- 6 children, 14 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, 2 great great grandchildren - the love still shows. When visiting at their house every once in a while you will catch one of those moments where they look across the room at one another and you think you see it - you think you see that look that may have started all of this - for a glance is made with a smile on the face, a twinkle in they eye, and a look exchanged that is meant for no one else but only for each other. That grand and great day when they exchanged lifelong vows may not have had all the niceties that are expected today when couples join in holy matrimony. But they have had the one thing that is so needful - a love that "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things." They have a love that has never ended! May God bless them and keep them all the days of their lives (just as we know he has and always will). Thank you mom and dad for showing us through your day to day lives what it means to truly love one another.
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