WEDDED BLISS

WEDDED BLISS.
Marie and I were married sixty five years ago today! She pinned my pilot wings on me that Saturday morning, December 23, 1944, and we were married that afternoon. Both events took place in Douglas Arizona. I am sure that we weren’t visualizing this day, when we looked into each others’ eyes. Marie would be returning to Mills College, and I would be flying in operational training, preparatory to being assigned to the Fifth Air Force in the South Pacific.
We were married in the Immaculate Conception Church. My B-25 instructor was my “Best Man”, and his wife was Marie’s Matron of Honor. Marie met them both for the first (and last) time at the altar. We were fortunate to have Marie’s mother, Ethel, there with us.
Today, December 23, 2009, I will have lunch with Marie at her residence, the Laurel Creek Health Center. I am fortunate that I can visit her each day. When I saw her yesterday, I told her that I would be having lunch with her this noon. I expected her to be pleased. She said, “Well, big deal!”
We hear about wisdom coming from the mouths of babes. How about the frankness coming from the mouth of a wife who has lost 50 per-cent of the brain cells in her frontal cortex? Very interesting.
People ask me what I attribute to our long marriage. You would think, by now, I would have formularized the secret. First of all, one must be blessed with good genes to survive that many years. Two, Lady Luck certainly has to come into play. And three, “you have to be in the moment” - you must have an awareness of the present situation. I have done my best to minimize conflict. But, when that fails you fall back on the trite “give and take” dynamics. Then, you hope and pray for the best outcome. Marie and I have been very fortunate to have liked each other, and to have enjoyed each others company all these many years. That always makes a happy marriage.
So, Good Luck to all of you “short timers.” Marriage - like life - is common sense and hard work. Without it, our culture is experiencing a shameful 50 percent divorce rate! I trust that I am “preaching to the choir”.
Ray L’Amoreaux
December 23, 2009.