| Sunny Side Up Sept. 4, 2002 �2002, Kathleen Gibson Marriage--together for the long haul Jeremy Bauman, my �wonderful, handsome and favorite nephew,� as he cheerily refers to himself in the closing of all his notes to me, asked me to make a speech at his wedding reception. He and �the lovely Sylvia� as he calls his Hungarian-born bride are very special to me, so I took extra care composing my words beforehand. All went well till my final comment. The clincher. I had a great line that echoed something in a poem I�d just read. I looked right at the newlyweds, paused for effect, and announced�. �Mr. and Mrs. Balogh, I pray you a marathon.� Dead silence. Amanda, sitting nearby hissed. �Mom, it�s Bauman. BAUMAN. Mr. and Mrs. BAUMAN.� No one heard my correction over the laughter. In a few months, I�ll have the immense privilege of acting as matron of honor at Amanda�s wedding. Hopefully she�ll not have reason to hiss at me then. I�m already afraid of melting into a sentimental puddle on the carpet as the Preacher leads her and Kendall through the vows. I can just hear the guests. �See that spot over there? That was the mother of the bride.� Weddings�days of joy and laughter, with only the occasional faux pas. But according to statistics, the marriages that follow seem exactly opposite. In the year 2000 there were 153, 697 marriages in Canada. The same year saw 70,292 divorces�one divorce for every 2.2 marriages. (Stats Canada Internet site: www.statcan.ca) Those statistics set me wondering about long-lasting marriages, the ones that survive the odds. Like my parents� union, fifty years strong. Even my own, still ticking at twenty-six. My thoughts gave birth to a poem, the one I read for my nephew and presented to my parents�.and now to my readers in marriages of whatever vintage. I pray you too, a marathon. WHAT KIND OF GLUE? � 2002, by Kathleen Gibson What kind of glue holds a marriage together for a lifetime? Is it purchased before the �I do�s�, like an extended warranty? Is it sprinkled for eternity on only the occasional nuptial pair, By a fairy godmother who just happened to get an invitation? Or is it the result of chemistry�the right elements In the right combination to make a stable compound? Is it just a lucky happenstance� the Big Bang theory of interrelatedness? Or the carefully planned creation of a loving Deity? In the factory where souls are partnered, How is it that only a few unions escape built in obsolescence? What makes a marriage into a marathon, And not a hundred yard dash? Is it the road or the runners that guarantee the gold? No, it�s the big things and the small� The fresh love warmed over. The commitment renewed. The realization that �I�m no bargain either.� It�s deciding to stay. Settling for �good enough.� Loving and being loved�.anyway. And trusting God to keep pouring his perfect love Into two very imperfect, very human hearts. You can respond to this column at [email protected] |
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