60 Years of Marriage: A Gift My Parents Gave Me

David's Mom and Dad on their wedding day

There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots, the other is wings.” – Hodding Carter

This week, our family will be celebrating a remarkable event; my parent’s sixtieth wedding anniversary. Only an extraordinary mixture of love, trust, faith, hard work and — yes — luck could have made this event possible.

I’m not going to attempt to analyze the inner workings of how a union can not only survive, but thrive over six decades, I am simply going to offer thanks.

More than gratitude for the care and security that I received, although that too often goes unspoken, I want to particularly express how grateful I am for their example.

When I met Veronica to say she had a dim view of marriage would have been a major understatement.  As a child she lived through several divorces, and so had good reason to be highly sceptical of the institution. I, on the other hand, had never considered matrimony as anything other than a permanent proposition.

That viewpoint obviously came directly from my parents, not as something they drilled into my head, but as something I grew up observing. They didn’t preach their position, they lived it. That contribution to my upbringing is a huge factor in the happy fact that ten days after my parent’s celebration, Veronica and I will mark our own wedding anniversary of thirty years.

Mom and Dad raised five kids, and all the while provided invaluable instruction on parenting too. Again, not through teaching, but by example. I am the fourth born of the five, so I had the benefit of watching what came before me. I learned the rules and what to expect, and by the time I was a teenager, I knew the drill.

After high school, I was generously offered the opportunity to continue my education. Mom and Dad would cover tuition and a place to stay when school wasn’t in session, but once college was finished, or if I chose not to continue my education, it was time to grow up, be an adult and provide for myself.

This is a philosophy that we have adopted with our own kids as well. I am thankful that my parents had the confidence and faith in me to expect nothing less than independence and self-reliance. It has served me well throughout my adult life. I learned to fight my own battles, solve my own problems, and be proud of my ability to do so.

That sort of pride is not unseemly, it is a gift. A gift we lovingly pass on to their grandchildren.

Thank you Mom and Dad.

David, GypsyNester.com


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22 thoughts on “60 Years of Marriage: A Gift My Parents Gave Me”

  1. What’s up,I log on to your blog named “60 Years of Marriage: A Gift My Parents Gave Me | The GypsyNesters” regularly.Your story-telling style is awesome, keep doing what you’re doing!

  2. Sincere congratulations to your parents David. And to you both on your thirty years. I always say, as long as there are no deal breakers we can grow, learn and get through anything.

    My parents split, completely unexpectedly thanksgiving weekend in their 24th year. My mother broke my dads unsuspecting heart. When I met my husband a year later, I made it clear marriage was not for me…what was the point.

    This year we will celebrate our 25th anniversary and take our second attempt at a gypsy nester trip. Last time I broke my knee skiing in lake placid (shortly after that picture was taken that I sent you some time ago.) this time we will go to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, and Sedona. We booked some gypsy nester style excursions that are knee friendly.

    My point is, anytime I hear of someone celebrating marriage longevity, I celebrate with them. My husband is my 29 year love affair. My absolute best friend. My person. I love seeing others feel the same.

    Enjoy the celebrations. And again thank you for the posts. They brighten everyday. Kim

    1. Congrats on your quarter century too! Absolutely love this sentiment: “anytime I hear of someone celebrating marriage longevity, I celebrate with them”
      Have a great time on your trip.

  3. Congratulations – and I love the tribute to your parents! My parents also modeled a loving, committed relationship for my entire life. I’m the oldest of six kids, married to my high school sweetheart for 35 years now. Our kids are grown and married for many years. I think a happy marriage is one of those legacies that are up to each of us to pass on to the next generation.

  4. Beautifully said – and congratulations to your parents on their milestone.

    Teaching children independence is actually gifting the strength and confidence they need to make their way in this world.

    You are lucky, indeed.

  5. David, well said. 60 years of thriving marriage speaks volume. I am truly inspired by your parents’ example and hope to achieve the same. My husband and I need to age gracefully in body, mind and spirit in order to walk this journey together with stamina. We celebrated our 30th anniversary last year and we are only half way there! The second half will be as exciting, right?

  6. What a great tribute to your parents.
    I loved the picture and can see that the
    blueprint for the way to live your life isn’t the only thing that you inherited!
    Congratulations to them and to the both of you.

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