WE’RE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL

It seems that most everything in the news today seems to affect me. I’m not sure if it’s because I have become a world traveler or if I have become a more sensitive less pragmatic individual. This week’s news that the Gores are separating seemed to hit me especially hard. Dinnertime conversation went from “I have trouble understanding the reasoning of the North Korean leadership…” to the Gores. I realize that their separation does not compare to the sinking of a ship, attacks on villages, natural disasters, or the concerns in the gulf but it still has shaken me to the core.

Couples separate or divorce all the time. But the Gores appeared to be different than other couples. I really believed that they genuinely liked each other. When this time of their lives should be one of planning what adventures they would do next they are planning how to divide their lives. There will be no one on the earth that will ever have their shared memories. Yes, they can create new memories and the children are grown so it’s not such a difficult experience for them but I wanted them to be different. I wanted them to be happy.

As Kent and I talked last night we discussed what we thought the roll of each spouse should be. It was interesting that we each discussed our individual roll not what we thought the other person should be doing. Maybe that is a sign that we are happy with each other and judging ways we should improve. We discussed our children’s reaction to the practical joke we pulled on them on Memorial Day. We discussed the visit of the grandchildren, Christmas plans and our next vacation. We are more in love today than ever before. In September we will celebrate 42 years of marriage. How fortunate for us and for all those who believe in us.