On September 15, 1985, I married the woman who would change my life forever. Oh, I’d been in love a few times before, only to have the ooey-gooey feelings fade away. And by now I was a commitment-shy bachelor. But then I met a woman who wasn’t just pretty or smart. Trudy was, as corny as it sounds, deep.
Yes, she was pretty. Seriously pretty. But as I got to know her I felt something more than just the ooey-gooeys. I felt admiration. She made me want to be a better man. Trudy didn’t just share my love for God, she amplified it. And somehow I amplified hers. But she was even more commitment-shy than I was. There were just too many complications, too many expectations in “having a relationship.” So we broke up.
But then, some months later, we ran into each other at a concert. Minus the complications of wondering whether he or she was “the one,” we simply talked. And it was wonderful. Soon we were talking constantly, calling to recap our day, getting each other’s insights and advice. Free from the former expectations, we’d acquired something better than “a relationship,” we’d become best friends.
Without realizing it, we’d abandoned the locked and security-alarmed front door of love, and stumbled in through the unguarded back door. The ooey-gooeys no longer mattered. I simply wanted to be with her, to keep going, to have a life together. And miraculously, Trudy felt the same. So for the first time, as best friends, we kissed. It was the best kiss ever!
And now? Forty years on, all I want is more: More of her. More of us. More of God.
And more of life together.
40 years! Congratulations to you both!
Thank you, Tracy!
Happy 40th!!! 1985 was a great marriage year!! Welcome to the 40 Club! We are Just getting started…
Thanks, Jim. And amen. Here’s to the next 40!
40 years together!
Happy Anniversary 💐💐💐
Thank you, Luisa!
🙏🎂🙏
Congratulations.
Thanks, Sue.
Happy Anniversary to you both! And congratulations for weathering the ups and downs of life for so many years together. Ubi caritas et amor deus ibi est.
Gràcies, el meu amic!
40 years! Happy Anniversary 💐💐💐
Thank you, Luisa.
🙏💐🙏
Congratulations!
Thanks, Ezekiel!
Congrats!
Happy Anniversary to both of you!
Thank you, Terry.
How beautiful! Happy anniversary!
Thank you, Gabriela!
Mitch, what a beautiful post. Happy Anniversary to you both!
Thank you so much, Mags.
Enjoy a blessed anniversary and another wonderful decade together!
Thanks, Rob (I hope that’s not a prophecy of how long we have left ;>).
Wonderful! Congratulations and happy anniversary!
Thank you, Jasmine!
Congratulations
Congratulations!
Thanks, Emma!
Happy Anniversary! ❤️❤️ Forty years together is not just a milestone but a living poem of grace and resilience. May your love keep shining in God’s faithfulness: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor. 13:7). A true testimony of joy and blessing through every season.
💕
Congratulations!🎉
Thanks, Shweta!
Congrats! Here’s to 40🍾🎉
Happy Anniversary to you both, Mitch.
Thank you, T!
My pleasure.
What a wonderful witness, Mitch! Blessings to you and your sweetheart for “as long as you both shall live.” – and then you get to share your love in a new way in heaven! God bless, from my Jane & I!
Thank you, Jane and “I!”
Happy Ruby Anniversary! Your wife looks like Princess Diana in that first photograph. 💞
Ruby! I hadn’t realized that. And thank you, Kerry.
I’ve been reading your blog for some time now, and I suspect that Trudy has a great sense of humor, a desire for adventure, and more than the average amount of tolerance. My wife, Jo, and I recently celebrated our 58th anniversary, and when I look around at my friends who have been together for a long time, we all seem to have married our best friend. I suspect you might have also. Congratulations to you both.
Thank you, and likewise, Don!
I love hearing about a truly happy long marriage / partnership, , because it is such a rarity- most couples pursue it and few actually get it. They later discover that their mate is Not what they claimed to be, by intention or not, and it’s over. So it does my heart good to know that you two prevailed in success !
Bless you, Katie.
Many congratulations 🎊
Thank you, Joey.
My parents were married on Sept. 25, 1945. Seems they waited a bit until the surrender of Japan in the event my father may have been called back into the army. Blessings to you for your years.
Thank you, Carl.
Beautiful love story, Mitch! Happy anniversary to you both!
Thank you, Wynne!
Congratulations!! Happy Anniversary! 👏🎉
Congratulations, Mitch and Trudy! The forty years of marriage you’ve been blessed with must feel like a fairy tale come true. God bless you both. 🙂
Thank you so much, Nancy.
Happiest of days to you; my love and I recently celebrated 58 years together. However, 40 or 58 are only numbers; the love shared is eternal, never beginning, never ending. Bask in its eternal blessings and allow it to grow by giving it away to all whom you meet. God blees you both.
And bless you too, my long-married Anonymous friend!
Blessings to you both!
Thank you, Joy!
Aww! Yaaassss! Happy Happy Happy Anniversary to the both of you! 40 years is simply amazing! May you experience 40 more! 🙏🏾🩵
Aww, thank you, trE.
You’re quite welcome!
Congratulations for all you have together.
Thank you, Belinda.
Happy Anniversary! 🥳
Thanks, Pauline!
Amazing! Congratulations!!🎉🍾
Thank you, Tanja!
Lovely. Happy Anniversary to you both.
Thank you, Liz.
Happiest anniversary, Mitch and Trudy. I bet you can hardly wait until you get to 50. Then you get to have the really BIG celebration. In the meantime, enjoy every moment, even the small celebrations! ❤️❤️🙏
We will! Thanks, Gail.
How wonderful – and what a privilege… Congrats and best wishes to you both…
Thank you, Marie.
Congratulations! To quote some lovely lyrics, “Love is a many splendored thing” and “Love like a garden grows sweeter with time.”
May your special day and your love blossom more splendid and sweeter!
Thank you, my Anonymous friend.
Happy anniversary!
Thank you, Lynn!
What a beautiful love story. Happy anniversary to you both. 🥳🥳
Thank you, Aline.
Nothing better than frienship before love. Congratulations, and happy anniversary.
Thanks, Pete!
Quite a milestone. Congratulations, Mitch!
Thank you, Mark!
Beautiful!
Thank you, Dana.
Congrats to you both 🍾 🥂!
Thanks, Bob!
Awwnn happy anniversary. 40 years together is such a milestone. Cheers to many more years together 🥂🥂
Thank you, Ali❣
Congratulations! Happy Anniversary and wishing you both the blessings of many more. 💖💖💖
Thank you so much, Sandy❣
“ stumbled in through the unguarded back door,” what a neat analogy!
Why, thank you!
Many congratulations and wishing you many more happy years together
Thank you so much, Sheree.
Happy Anniversary!
Thank you, Andrew.
You’re welcome, Mitch.
Quite the day! Congratulations to you both!
Thanks, Christopher!
What an inspiring love story. Happy anniversary!
Thank you, Chanel!
40 years! congratulations Mitch and Trudy
Thank you!
Happy Anniversary. Congratulations 🎉
Thank you, Michael.
You’re welcome, Mitch.
Happy anniversary!
Thanks, Bob!
Really loved what you wrote — so sincere and touching. Wishing you both all the best!
Thank you so much, Katherine.
Happy anniversary!!
Thanks, Liz!
You’re welcome, Mitch!
Happy Anniversary! It gets easier and harder as you grow older together!
So I’ve heard.
Happy anniversary.
Thank you, K.A.
An eloquent tribute and one I can appreciate since Janet and I celebrated the 46th “anniversary” of our engagement at the Top of the Mark Hopkins in San Francisco yesterday. May we both have many more. Sincerely, Dirt
We celebrate those too. Congrats, Dirt.
Congratulations to you both, and Happy Anniversary!
Still love the way you write, Mitch….
You make a wonderful team, I have no doubt — and a right handsome couple.
Best to you both always,
matilda
Aw, bless you, dear Matilda. So good to hear from you!
I am SO happy for you both, may God continue to bless you bountifully.
Thank you so much, Rene.
You’re welcome.
Absolutely beautiful! Congratulations! 🎉🍾🎊
Thank you, Kiki!
Congratulations to you both. Such a lovely tribute. Mitch you are a lucky man.
Thank you, Randy.
Sweet beginnings and still in love. How precious.
Thank you, Kim.
Congratulations Mitch and Trudy🥳.Trudy is so beautiful.
Young people like us should learn from you how to maintain long-lasting relationships.
I so appreciate your comment❣ May I ask your name?
You can call me K,Mr.Mitch.
Thanks, K.
40 years together. Wonderful. Happy Anniversary to the both of you 😊👏🏼
Thank you, Manu.
Happy Anniversary 😀
Thanks, Eileen.
Happy anniversary, it can be such a wonderful life 😊
Thank you, Gary.
That’s a great story . Happy anniversary!
Thank you, PK!
Happy Anniversary!!!
Thank you!! (I’m afraid I don’t know your name.)
Congratulations to you and Trudy on your 40th anniversary!! More of each other and more of God~ what a testimony you two are to us! God bless you both! ❤️💕🙏
Bless you, dear friend❣
🙏❤️🥰
Happy 40th Anniversary you two💒💛
Thank you, my friend. (Sorry, I don’t know your name.)
Happy 40th anniversary to both of you 💖🎉🎈🥂
Thank you, Thomas.
Happy Anniversary! ❤️
Thanks, Kelley❣
Wow, such an inspiring story, Mitch. I’m always fascinated by beautiful love stories. Congratulations on 40 years of marriage. Amazing!
Aw, thank you, Hazel.
My pleasure, Mitch! Stay loving.
Will do, Hazel❣
when will mitch count from 0 to 100 with pen & paper
Happy anniversary Mitch & Trudy!💐 Friendship is a great basis for a relationship.
It is indeed, Sandy. And it doesn’t hurt if your best friend is a major hottie. ;>)
That goes without saying, Mitch.
Congratulations to you both, how wonderful to have loved and been loved for so long. May you be blessed with many more years. ❤️
Thank you so much, Nicola.
sweet! congratulations to you both 🎉💃🥳
⬻𓂀✧ 🔺 ✬ღ☆ 🔺 ∞ ♡ ∞ 🔺 ☆ღ✬ 🔺 ✧𓂀⤖
Thank you, Graham.
🙏
🙇♂️
Congratulations, Mitch and Trudy, on forty years of marriage! May you have many more!
Thank you, Hazel!
You are welcome!
This is so moving! Congratulations on 40 years — your story is such an inspiration.
Thank you so much, Hayley.
You’re most welcome 🌸
Wow! Happy anniversary to you both😊 Cheers to many more years 🎉
Thank you, Funbi.
Happy Anniversary 🎉🎉🎂 Mitch.
Thank you, Ramani.
Happy, happy anniversary, Mitch and Trudy. Truly a live worth celebrating.
Thank you, my Anonymous friend.
Happy Anniversary and many more years of love ahead!
Thank you, Rasma!
Seems I’ve had opportunity of late to give this old advice I received from someone (but for the life of me, after 36 years, I cannot remember who) around the time Anita and I married: “A successful marriage is the union of two sinners who learn how to forgive each other every day.”😉
True, C.A. Ruth Graham said something similar: “A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.”
I also broke up with my girlfriend in college for two years and there remoter at college fraternity concert. You’r right . When it comes to marriage, just learn to forget and move on.
Beautiful photo of young love accompanied by beautiful thoughts.
Thank you, David.
Awe that’s so beautiful what a wonderful tribute to love and life together.
Thank you, Kerri.
You’re very welcome!!!
Happy Anniversary!
Thanks, Scott!
Happy Belated Anniversary!
Thank you, Venus!
Congratulations and Happy Anniversary, Mitch and Trudy! Blessings and many more!
Thank you, Peggy!
Auguri! Congratulations to you both!
Grazie, Sheila!
Many congrats on your anniversary, Mitch. Nice to hear about the positive soulmate stories that will last forever.
Art
Thank you, Art.
Happy Anniversary!
Thank you, Mel!
Your welcome 😊
Very nicely expressed and described and experienced!
Thank you, Ken!
Congratulations and happy anniversary!
Thank you!
Three days late Mitch. Congratulations 🎊. Wishing you many more years of love.
Thank you so much, Iba.
Oh wow!!!
Congratulations to you and yours 🎉
Wishing you many more beautiful years
Thank you, OJ.
I wish you many years of love ahead!
Thank you, Jennie!
You’re welcome, Mitch.
Happy Anniversary! Congratulations after all this time!
Thank you, Ben!
Just wait til you get to 50 years. Congratulations, thanks for sharing this lovely memory.
Looking forward to the big 50!
This is beautiful. Congrats!! 🤣😎🙃
Thank you, Mr. Ohh!
It is truly wonderful when we meet our best friend. Even more wonderful when we know they are the ‘one’. Congratulations for all the love you share.
Thank you, Carolyn.
Congratulations! Right behind you at 39 years, Mitch. Of course, it’s the quality rather than the length of a marriage that’s far more critical.
It is indeed, Pete. Still, a mere 39 years? ;>)
“Your love story inspires that true relationships are built on a foundation of friendship and trust. Your journey with Trudy G is truly a blessing.”
Thank you, Shrivedik.
Congratulations! A beautiful, continuing love story. Thank you for sharing it. God bless y’all.
Thank you, Stephanie.
This is such a beautiful read – thank you for the share🌷🎶
My pleasure, RN.
Congrats! Wonderful!
Thank you, Anna!
Congratulations and best wishes.
Thank you, Kate.
Oh—this is a great story, Mitch! Love it!! 🙂 Happy Belated 40th!! 🙂
Thank you, Katie!
You are most welcome!
That’s just wonderful, Mitch, everything a good marriage should be. Congratulations and wishing you many more years together.
Thank you so much, Ellen.
Beautiful love story!!! Blessings!
Thank you, Lori!
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