Secrets to a successful and long marriage - from my parents

Today is the wedding anniversary of my parents. They have been happily married now for forty-seven years. This evening when I called mom and dad to wish them a happy anniversary, I decided it was a good time to find out what was their secret for a lasting and happy marriage.

First, let me tell you the story of how they got together. The first time they met, my father asked my mother out. On that first date, he asked her out for another and so it went. The story goes that they dated for about two months before dad proposed to mom.

Where did dad propose?

Now that's an interesting story. Apparently, a friend of my father had always teased him that he would never marry. So when he proposed he proposed in front of that friend as a witness. Where did Keith Goodman propose to Mary Cohoon? Inside the JCPenney store in Spencer, Iowa.

Yup. You read that correctly. Dad got down on bended knee in front of their friend and proposed to mom right there in the middle of JCPenney. Now, if you are like me you ask yourself or in my case I asked them, "What department did you do this in?"

It was in fact as I had predicted. In the ladies' lingerie department. HA! How romantic is that?!

Way to go dad! Three months later, Keith and Mary tied the knot and became husband and wife.

I asked my parents if they still loved each other as much now as they did then and they both said that the love was stronger.

I asked mom and dad if they still had romance in their marriage. Mom jumped in and said, "Absolutely!"
Dad answered, "Every day."

When asked 'What is the secret to a happy marriage?' my parents had this to say. "Patience, tolerance, talking and most important, listening. The love is there and will continue to grow as long as you remember those keys."

'How does one keep a marriage going after forty-seven years?' "Support and working together," was their collective response. "At various times one of you will have to support the other and then it will be the other person's turn the next time, but if you work together you can accomplish anything and it will be much better because you did it as a team, a couple."

When I asked Keith and Mary 'If you could change on thing about your marriage, what would it be?' They both responded, "Not move so much." I for one can tell you that I agree with that assessment. We moved a lot of places for my dad's job. All for good, but it does take a toll. The fact that my parents are still together is a testament that in spite of those hardships, if they work together they can make it happen and be happy.

On the humorous side, I asked my parents, "If you were on a deserted island and could only take one person with you, who would it be and why?" Not surprising from this happy couple was that they would take the other. Mom would take dad because he could kill the food. Dad would take mom because she is a good cook.

How perfect is that? Two people who complete each other, each bringing to the table something the other person doesn't have.

To my wonderful and loving parents, Keith and Mary Goodman...Happy Anniversary!

Love you!!