It seems as if our culture has learned to love anniversaries.
We remember dates, times and places whenever we can. It could be a wedding, a birthday, a graduation or anything else that fits the needs of the day. Our anniversaries are so much more than a milestone of life and the passage of time. They become a catalyst to recall the loving moments of our lives that are so deep we will never forget them.
Our wedding anniversaries undoubtedly dominate all categories because it is a day that is all about love, family and the realization of a dream.
On our wedding anniversaries, we remember how our love has grown since that special moment when we knew we would share our lives together.
The anticipation of all this can take months or even years. But when the “big day” finally arrives, it brings with it a feeling that is hard to describe.
This Sunday, June 30, 2024, Jo and I celebrate our 63rd wedding anniversary.
The calendar says it all – 203 years ago. It was Friday, June 30, 1961. I was 22 and Jo was 21. Yesterday says we met in Ashland one spring weekend at the Bluegrass Grille. The “Grass,” as it was called, was a popular “cruise-in” hangout that thousands visited each week. Jo was with her best friend Patty O Neal when I pulled into the adjacent parking lot next to them. I got out and jumped into Patty’s car.
Standing up front was this beautiful woman I had never seen before. I asked Patty who she was. Patty replied, “Mike, I’d like you to meet Camilla Jo.”
Then I asked Jo how it was possible that I had never met her before. She was distant and just looked at me without answering. I asked for her phone number. She refused to give it to me even after I asked several times. Jo turned around, looked straight at me and said: “Listen, I don’t know you and I don’t like you. You’re not getting my phone number!”
Patty replied, “Don’t worry, Mike, I’ll give it to you later!”
I was working in a bank at the time and my thoughts about Jo sometimes affected my concentration. I called her several times to arrange a date but to no avail. I guess persistence pays off. After some time, she finally agreed and the rest is history.
We set our wedding date for Friday night, June 30th. It wasn’t anything big or special, but it was indeed the biggest day of our lives. I was working that day and all I could think about was our wedding, which was just a few hours away. My best friend, the late Joe Imes, was my best man and Jo’s sister Dean was her maid of honor.
I have been asked so many times over the years what the secret of our success is.
So I considered everything and came up with these 10 factors +1:
· Stay who you are
· Respect each other
· Communicate
· Show understanding
· Give and take
· Be proud of the family
· Have a vision for the future
· Support each other’s decisions
· Do you have an overview of these decisions
· Show humility
And one more thing to be sure: never forget how it all began and the love that made it all possible.
But every marriage has its good times and its bad times. Of course, over the course of our many years together, there have been disagreements on issues and situations, and we have had to adapt and work them out.
Our family grew in the early years with the birth of our three sons, Mike, Chris and Joe. These children quickly grew into fine young men and have excelled in their respective careers and throughout their lives.
Mother’s Day in May and Father’s Day here in June were very special days for us because our sons showed us their deep love.
One of the greatest treasures of a marriage is photographs that capture time when it stands still for a split second.
We probably have thousands of photos of our family from our wedding day and from decades past. Today, they are lifelong treasures.
Anniversaries have become, in a way, a social identification based on years, with names like “paper” for the 1st anniversary, “silver” for the 25th, and “gold” for the 50th. That is why we celebrate the 63rd anniversary on Sunday and look forward to the 65th anniversary, which will be our “sapphire.”
So, to Mrs. T – we’ve come a long way since the night we first met. You’re still that strong-willed, beautiful woman who calls a spade a spade. I think that’s what I’ve admired and loved about you all these years and still today.
We are both so proud of our three sons, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. It has been quite a journey over the years and we are truly blessed as our golden years continue.
To everyone who is celebrating an anniversary today or soon, Jo and I wish you a happy and BEAUTIFUL ANNIVERSARY!
Congratulations!
