Season of love

My dear friend Angie attended a wedding recently, and she was so struck by the message from the father of the groom that she shared it with me and some friends. It went something like, "marry right, and everything else will fall into place".

The full impact of it didn't really hit me until a couple of days later, as my sister and I were discussing what we're going to get our parents for their Christmas/wedding anniversary gift. They got married on Christmas day 29 years ago, and as I marveled over that figure, it was then that I realized the profound truth of the message Angie related to us. Because for all the problems and trials my parents have gone through (and they've had more than their fair share) in the 29 years they've been married, I know with full certainty-- perhaps in blatant defiance of logic-- that they married right. One need only look at how things have fallen into place for them after they tied the knot: they raised 3 kids who turned out well (if I do say so myself), they built a successful business from the ground up, they have a nice house in a nice village, they've gotten many opportunities to travel the world, they are liked, respected and admired by their friends and associates, and despite some health problems, they still manage to lead active lifestyles and look deceptively young for their ages.

Sure, it hasn't been smooth sailing for all 29 years, but they've weathered all the storms so far. And while there have been days when I wonder if they might have been happier or better off married to other people, I always go back to the disquieting idea of a world without me and my siblings, and I just can't wrap my head around that. And I know by how much our parents love us that they too can't conceive (pun not intended) of an existence without the 3 of us. So as conceited as it may sound, I consider us living proof that they indeed married right.

Every 25th of December, our family not only celebrates Christmas, but also commemorates the union of our parents. And as far as we're concerned, the fact that they married each other is the best thing that's ever happened to all of us. Now there's a Christmas gift that keeps on giving.