I interviewed a couple today that got married when Franklin D. Roosevelt was in the White House -- for those of you who aren't from this country, that was 1941.
They borrowed his brother-in-law's car and drove to Beaumont, Texas where they spent their honeymoon with relatives there.
This coming January, they will have been married 71 years.
He's 98 and she's 92. They are frail, but they still live together in their Homewood cottage. They are Italian and came from huge families, but all their siblings are gone now.
The walls and tables of the house are covered in pictures of old friends, and days gone by.
She says he spends most days napping in the living room recliner. Both get around in their house with the aid of walkers.
When I asked them how they managed to stay together, she looked at me, and raised both her eyebrows conspiratorially and nodded toward him and said -- "It took a lot of patience,"
He laughed and said they learned to "put up" with each other.
After the interview, he gave me a tour of their house and showed me all his medals and commendations from WWII.
I spent over an hour talking to them. I've known it all along, but days like today help me to remember why I love this job.
Y'all have a great weekend.
They borrowed his brother-in-law's car and drove to Beaumont, Texas where they spent their honeymoon with relatives there.
This coming January, they will have been married 71 years.
He's 98 and she's 92. They are frail, but they still live together in their Homewood cottage. They are Italian and came from huge families, but all their siblings are gone now.
The walls and tables of the house are covered in pictures of old friends, and days gone by.
She says he spends most days napping in the living room recliner. Both get around in their house with the aid of walkers.
When I asked them how they managed to stay together, she looked at me, and raised both her eyebrows conspiratorially and nodded toward him and said -- "It took a lot of patience,"
He laughed and said they learned to "put up" with each other.
After the interview, he gave me a tour of their house and showed me all his medals and commendations from WWII.
I spent over an hour talking to them. I've known it all along, but days like today help me to remember why I love this job.
Y'all have a great weekend.
What a fantastic story>
ReplyDeleteMy parents are married now 41 years.My father was an old Bachelor(almost 40) and very well loved by girls students(he was a lecturer).
My mother was barely 19 and as she said not the prettiest of the bunch:) She always argued with him in his lessons and that draw him to her.My grandparents were devosteted when she married him, 20 years her senior and 'bad' reputation as Don Juan:)))
There you go..it takes a little bit of arguing to find happiness;)
that's amazing! you are lucky to have the chance of talking to them, Sir Rick! I love your job too...
ReplyDeleteJJRod'z
Oh, I would have enjoyed that visit! Lucky you.
ReplyDeleteTell Jilda that I ran into my old yoga instructor at a restaurant tonight. I'd quit about a year ago when my Rheumatoid Arthritis flared up and I had a hard time doing much. Anyway, she inspired me to come back and try again so I think I will. I really did enjoy the classes, and reading about Jilda and her yoga recently got me thinking about it again.
I wonder how many marriages hang together with patience and putting up with each other. Young folk, take note.
ReplyDeleteA lovely account of a marriage with so very few like that today.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post Rick :)
ReplyDeleteI can understand why you love your job, getting to be in situations like this, meeting interesting people, hear a lot of stories.
Enjoy your Weekend!
People magazine should devote space for articles about people like this couple...not those so called celebs who can't manage to hang in there for more than a nano second. True love isn't about the looks, the money, the fame..it's about the commitment, the vows, the hard work it takes to make a relationship work. Great post!
ReplyDeleteWow! 71 years ... that surely must be some kind of record for putting up with anything ... or anyone!
ReplyDeleteRick, that's 2 posts in a row you made me cry (from gratitude and happiness, though).
ReplyDeleteI sincerely love to hear about couples who get over the bumps and stay together as they really learn the meaning of love.
I love your job too. :)
That's a wonderful story. I need to hear more news like this at the moment.
ReplyDeleteMy parents got married when Roosevelt was in The White House, but I mean Teddy, which means my parents were already dead when I was born. How did that happen? you may ask. Check out back issues of the National Inquirer.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Lola
Ah, the history these dear folks share. You were fortunate to have heard their stories.
ReplyDelete