"Take my hand, take my whole life, too,
For I can't help, falling in love with you."
For I can't help, falling in love with you."
I've been thinking a lot about marriage lately, and not just because I'm in a serious relationship.
I've been thinking about marriage because June 21 is my parents' 30th anniversary.
I've been thinking about marriage because June 21 is my parents' 30th anniversary.
On most days, Marsha and Lyndall Dallas seem like normal people. She's a teacher. He's an agronomist.
They're special to me, of course, but I am most certainly biased.
But this week they seem like superheroes.
How else could you make it 30 years?
They're special to me, of course, but I am most certainly biased.
But this week they seem like superheroes.
How else could you make it 30 years?
I conducted an impromptu investigation into this question on Sunday afternoon at Barnes and Noble, armed with Time's recent cover story on marriage.
"How do you make a soul mate? Practice, practice, practice," noted a group of family researchers.
You practice forgiveness, humility and the art of compromise. You practice making space for someone else's needs and dreams.
You practice staying calm when your partner forgets to buy milk or put down the toilet seat.
("It feels like a personal attack when he does that," my mom once said.)
You practice folding someone else's clothes and making their favorite eggs. You practice saving coupons for their favorite snacks and thinking up good gift ideas.
You practice sticking with a choice you made when you were 28 or 26 or 35 or 43, instead of questioning it every time you're in a bad mood and the person you've chosen is making it worse.
I've been thinking a lot about marriage lately and feeling grateful for my parents' choices.
They make marriage seem natural, even as I worry about the dozens of ways I may be predisposed to screw it up.
Mike and I are lucky to have our love blossom in their love's shadow. To have them as friends and mentors.
Congrats on 30 years, mom and dad. Thanks for choosing each other.
"How do you make a soul mate? Practice, practice, practice," noted a group of family researchers.
You practice forgiveness, humility and the art of compromise. You practice making space for someone else's needs and dreams.
You practice staying calm when your partner forgets to buy milk or put down the toilet seat.
("It feels like a personal attack when he does that," my mom once said.)
You practice folding someone else's clothes and making their favorite eggs. You practice saving coupons for their favorite snacks and thinking up good gift ideas.
You practice sticking with a choice you made when you were 28 or 26 or 35 or 43, instead of questioning it every time you're in a bad mood and the person you've chosen is making it worse.
I've been thinking a lot about marriage lately and feeling grateful for my parents' choices.
They make marriage seem natural, even as I worry about the dozens of ways I may be predisposed to screw it up.
Mike and I are lucky to have our love blossom in their love's shadow. To have them as friends and mentors.
Congrats on 30 years, mom and dad. Thanks for choosing each other.