Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! Today, I celebrate the courage behind 35 years of marriage with this couple.

Through the hardship and pain, they continued to choose life together over the path alone.

I learned that loving other things in life more than two people love each other only leads to hardened hearts. There’s an intersection in this road; I’m glad they chose to turn right.

I’ve witnessed moments when choices led to let downs and the conclusion of an argument was the slamming of a door; walls will repeat whatever you put into the atmosphere, for days.

The dollars didn’t always come in like they were supposed to, and sometimes we were counting pennies to stretch what we had.

Some of life’s greatest injustices happened here in this sphere of love, like becoming parents of four children, who now have only three.

It’s these two hearts and four hands that have made my green eyes to see that love is always the answer.

Courage isn’t perfect. That’s what I learned.

If given the choice, courage will stay standing when others sit down. Courage rushes in when others are walking out. Courage will look for a window of opportunity when every door has closed.

Understanding what it takes to hold life together isn’t my story to tell. Yet, here is a testimony of what courage behind commitment looks like.

After 35 years, most of the tears trickling down their cheeks come out of laughter and several times a day, you will find one reaching out a hand for the other (mostly Dad! Men are a mess without a good woman.).