Do We Still Think Marriage Is Forever?

A short musing.

This post is a little different. I usually write lengthy 7–12 minute reads on here, but here I wanted to share these quick thoughts from my Instagram page.

I often mention my parents’ and grandparents’ marriages as the model I grew up witnessing for healthy relationships — but there are important pieces I don’t often dive into.

I watched my grandparents grow into old age together until they both passed, having been married for over 60 years.

The REALITY we don’t often talk about is the mental and physical health challenges that many of us face in elder years. Not all — but many. Our minds and bodies age in unpredictable ways. As far as my grandparents go, at times, they quite literally carried each other. Mentally and physically.

This is part of the challenge. Making the lifelong commitment to this level of uncertainty. How will your partner age over time? Nobody knows. Yet, we make the commitment to stand by them through it all.

…right?

Most of the marriages in my family last a lifetime. Our family Christmas party, (before Covid), was over 100 people strong. Some of whom, of course, are (or were) elderly. Some have since passed. But they all had their spouse by their side through all of it…