My wife and I are celebrating our 35th engagement anniversary tonight. Quietly and intimately, with a candle-lit dinner and a bottle of our favorite wine, at the most exclusive eatery in town: our house.
You may have caught the reference to Márquez’s novel Love in the Time of Cholera. Why? Well, for one thing: it was published in 1985, the year we became engaged (and got married). For another, it’s a story of love struggling against external and internal challenges. It’s about imperfect people learning to love better.
That’s us. Or should I say Us? Because a new person, Us, came into being the day we got engaged. We’ve fought to keep Us alive and in-love against all kinds of external and internal challenges since then. The latest being the pandemic that has produced isolation, bare store shelves, dwindling funds and, yes, closed restaurants.
So we’ll be dining in tonight. And chances are it will be one of our more memorable outings (innings?). Because facing challenges together, and coming out of them together, has always made Us stronger.
Now I understand why my parents reminisced more about the hard days of their marriage than the easy ones. Those were the days their love grew stronger.
It’s not just romantic love that can grow in times like this. We all belong to a huge Us that is struggling to love, rather than die and be replaced by a bunch of detached Me’s. Will we learn how to love each other better during this time? Will we come out stronger?
It’s up to Us.
Mitch,
Happy Anniversary! The best is yet to come! Thanks,
Gary
Thanks, Gary!
Happy Anniversary!! We love our “most exclusive eatery” as well. Blessings ♥
Thanks, Jacquie. You too.
Happy anniversary! This is what I’m working on during my quarantine: https://meganandthemysteriousboy.wordpress.com/2020/03/14/the-journey-begins/
Thanks. I’ll check it out.
Love the photo! Happy Anniversary!
Thank you, Kathy!
Happy Anniversary!
Thank you, Meonn!
I love everything about this. Happy Anniversary!
Thank you!
Congratulations to both of you.👏🏼
Thanks, Tiaa.
Happy anniversary! Never forget to enjoy every moments in life despite all that is going around us. ❤️❤️
Thank you!
Happy Anniversary great read! <3
Thank you!
This is the most heartwarming message I have read in days. Happy wedding anniversary to you both. Stay positive, stay safe and spread the love! ❤
Thank you. You too!
Facing empty store shelves and what brought that about is beyond humane reasonings. Being a born NYC person by birth, it saddens me to read these accounts of panic, but it was generated by media. For the most extreme, and I being 81, I’ve kept an eye open for remedies. Here is a posting that addresses the most severe experience when it comes to life-support in a hospital;
To counter high volume of panic news, I’ve posted a most encouraging video explaining; “People don’t die of influenza, they die of chronic vitamin C deficiency – view and save lives now https://wp.me/p2VBZ8-35X
I’ve enjoyed the two blog posts of yours that I’ve read so far, and I look forward to following your blog. Thank you for finding my blog!
My pleasure. And good to meet you, Janet!
Happy anniversary! Cheers to many more happy years. God bless you.
Thank you, Imelda, and may God bless you.
Thanks for this lovely post and for finding my blog. wishing you many more anniversary dinners — some perhaps out!
Thank you, Maren, and yes, eating a few meals out again would be nice!
Agape – Principled love!
Nice post Mitch!
Thanks, LD!
Pingback: Love in the Time of Coronavirus — Mitch Teemley | By the Mighty Mumford
Congratulations Mitch… and may you have thirty-five more!!
Thank you!
Beautiful picture of true love. Congratulations!
Thank you, Emma.
This is beautiful 😍
Thank you.
Happy Anniversary! Such a beautiful post!
Thank you, Antonia.
Happy Anniversary! Such a beautiful post!
Thank you!
HIII! Please check my blog about love and emotions!
https://batanghilaga.wordpress.com/2020/04/16/all-we-need-is/
Precious. It is harder not to fight for love in the hard times.
Well written and quite informative . Keep writing and keep inspiring . I wrote something similar . Kindly through it https://natesh557112956.wordpress.com/2020/04/26/nature-bounces-back/
What a beautiful post and Happy Anniversary! I am supposed to get married this May 2020, but had to cancel because of the Coronavirus. Your story inspired me. After my fiance and I get through this, we will never forget it. I hope one day we will also be celebrating our 35 and reminisce the time today 🙂
Aw, I hope (and pray) so too, Jenorillo!
Aww so cute!!
Covid taught me I can be happy with very little. Here’s my latest post 🌿⬇️
https://mindbeautysimplicity.wordpress.com/2020/07/20/you-are-not-defined-by-your-possessions/
Pingback: My 10 Biggest Hits of 2020 | Mitch Teemley
Pingback: Love in the Post-COVID Era | Mitch Teemley