I understand that people have their reasons. I get that there are some problems that cannot be worked through. I know that every situation is different, and I am by no means pointing fingers. If you so happen to fall into the category of a marriage that did not make it, I want you know that it is okay and I love you.
As my parents celebrate their 31st wedding anniversary, I cannot help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratefulness. With successful and failed marriages now at a 1:1 ratio, I know that among my peers, there are many who have grown up in very different situations than myself. I have watched some of my closest friends live their lives at constant battle between their mother and father. I have been the listening ear as they talk of not only their current struggles; but also of concern for their future, marriage specifically. I have witnessed just how much they are affected by something that is in no way in their control. I will not pretend to understand that kind of pain. I will not for one second act like I know how it feels to have my home split in two. I will not say that I get it.
So instead, I will tell you what I do get. I get that it’s not going to be perfect. I get that you’re going to be faced with countless trials and that you’re not always going to see eye to eye. If you were to compile a list of things that were easy, “marriage” would not be found among them. I know that marriage is a beautiful thing, but it can also be beautifully difficult. And because these things are true; to my parents, I want to say thank you.
Thank you for teaching me what it means to be selfless, and how to truly put another person above yourself. Thank you for showing me that it is okay to admit when you’ve made a mistake, and how to forgive when you are the one who has been let down. Thank you for teaching me just how important the little things are, and that small acts of kindness can show great deals of love. Thank you for showing me that when problems do arise, to turn towards one another rather than turning away. Thank you for instilling within me the hope to one day have a marriage filled with just as much laughter and love. Thank you for loving me and thank you for loving each other. Thank you for staying together.
