A CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE (From Hereford Times)

A CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE

2:53am Monday 13th August 2007

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There is a lovely announcement about a local couple who are celebrating their 60th! wedding anniversary, in this weeks edition of the Hereford Times.

That is some achievement in this day and age!

Mr and Mrs Castle met and married a few years after the war ended, and have 4 children, 11 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren!
When asked what the secret of such a long and happy marriage was they replied "give and take" and "we had a few ups and downs but we've always survived"!

I hope you agree with me in saying "long may they may they carry on together"!
There were also three other couples celebrating their 50th Anniversaries too.

Personnally l think these are huge achievements in this day and age - especially with such high instances of divorce and remarriage these days.

My own parents, l think are quite remarkable they are celebrating their 53th anniversary this year and they haven't always had an easy time of it with my mum being diagnosed with MS over 30yrs ago.

My in-laws (had my father-in-law) still been alive would also have been celebrating their 55th anniversary this year.

I think these make a fantastic example to us all - they've all had many ups and downs.
One piece of advice my mother-in-law Rene gave me when l married her son Jeff was "never go to bed on an arguement" and l have to say that has always stood us in good stead.

Saying that though, it is extremely doubtful we will get to celebrate such long anniversaries as we where late marrying as it was 2nd time around for both of us. Both, having had unfaithful first partners.

There is certainly alot more external stresses on families today, many couples no longer have close family to rely on for any sort of help - this maybe due to long distance separation, as people move where the work is; it maybe their parents are divorced themselves and busy sorting their own situations; or many more women work now so are not always available to help their grown up children in the same ways they used to in years gone by when whole families lived in the same street.

A recent Unicef survey has found that in Britian

"we are spending more time at work and do very little excercise as we spend to much time at the office and not enough on relationships, especially on our children and relaxation. If only we could spend more time on our relationships! Although many people have to spend an increasing amount of time at work, many of us use this as an excuse to be away from our families to hide our discontent".

This is a sad reflection of life today - dont you think?

They also went on to say

"Despite living in the fifth richest Country, the next generation of UK citizens experience some of the worst levels of poverty. The research found they regard themselves as less happy, and that they drank more alcohol, took more drugs and had more underage sex than children overseas".

With more families having to have both parents going out to work (and yes we're one of them) to be able to afford to pay the bills and the almost relentless taxation of virtually everything in this country, it is the only way many of us can keep the wolf from the door.
Having said that, l am in the lucky position that my husband has a good job for the area and having been there for 20yrs it is reasonably secure (as any job can be); therefore l do not need to work full-time. This being the case when my recently ex-employers kept increasing my hours much to my dismay, and refused to lower them again despite my asking on many occasions, l was in a lucky enough position to leave, and immediately walked into another position, where the hours are far more 'family friendly'; l now actually get to spend time with my husband - instead of not seeing each other for 3 days at a time,every 8 day shift cycle, and only communicating by phone, note and text! and also being able to do things with my 12yr old son, go places and arrange days out something l never had time to do before, and he is better for it. I kept up those ridiculous hours for 6 months, but l think had l stayed there for the year my own marriage would definately have started to seriously suffer.

"Millions of Brit's spend less than 6 hrs a week enjoying time with their loved ones"!!

I for one can vouch for that!

So in this day and age of quicky divorces and single parent families - those of you who have made it to even the 5yr mark (we're at 12yrs)
CONGRATULATION, WELL DONE & KEEP IT UP.

Remember - "give and take" and "not going to bed on an arguement" they are definately golden nuggets of wisdom we could all do with remembering especially during the extreme stresses of this day and age.

Think on?!