In defense of marriage. Act I

This is NOT a political post. I am not a political person. I am simply piggybacking on some news story I saw mentioned so more people will stumble upon this post and recognize how great my parents are. If you are looking for a political rant, or one even only somewhat informed about politics, look elsewhere. I try to avoid such entanglements.

Today, if you haven't checked your calendar, is June 26th. For many of you, that day holds little significance. For me it is a very important day as it relates to the union between a man and a woman. Today is my parents' anniversary. Fifty-three years together. I want to say that again so that I can be sure you heard it correctly:

FIFTY-THREE years. 5-3.

That's a lot of years. I have trouble imagining that many years except that then I look at my parents and realize that I don't have to imagine it because they were actually there. Remember, this doesn't mean that they are 53 years old. They have been married for 53 years. That's more than 20 or even 21. That's like double some number. As much as I hate politics, I hate math more. Anyway, I read somewhere that that's a lot of years. I might even have been the one that wrote it, I'm not sure.

I want everyone to celebrate that -- I want people to stop and say "wow, I guess I can keep using these shoes for one more week if those people can be married that long." I want people to make a sign saying "They can put a man on the moon but they can't have people married for 53 years? Oh wait, they can!" I want official proclamations saying something like "In recognition that somebody said the 53 years is a lot of years, that's awesome!"

And I think that, after all these years, they do truly like and love each other. Any two people who can live together that long and not kill each other have something really special: a child or children they want to kill more than each other. And for that, I clearly thank my siblings, because I am wonderful.

Let's think about history. When my parents got married (1960. 53 years ago. Do the math) There was no, um, cool stuff that was invented after that point. Truth! We had yet to fight the um, y'know, that war after 1960, and you know who hadn't been born yet? Lots of people, including ME. Crazy, right? So that's obviously a long time ago. And yet, here they are, being themselves and all that.

So in celebration, we are going out to a meat restaurant tonight. Why? Because I looked up on a website to see what the traditional gift is for the 53rd anniversary and it said:

Fifty-three years: Wait, 53? Really? Holy Cow!

A very happy anniversary to my favorite parents. Love youse lots.

Next year in the mid-fifties.