Love Cannot Die

Yes, 2 blog posts in one day. There is a reason for it, though. 18 years ago when my first daughter was born on this day, September 24th, something else took a back seat, my parents' wedding anniversary. Today, however, I must acknowledge another milestone in our household. Along with my oldest daughter turning 18, it also would have been my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Back in 1960, my parents, Ralph and Peggy, were married in Harrisonburg, VA. The reason they were married in Harrisonburg rather than their hometown of Richmond was because it was a second marriage for both of them, and they couldn't find a local minister who was willing to marry them. How times change! I am thrilled that they found someone who was willing or I would not be here to write this blog. Through the life of their marriage, my parents had their ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and successes and failures, like all married couples, but the thing that I can say about them that impressed me most was their devotion to each other. They took their wedding vows seriously and lived by them:


Mom and Dad at their 25th Anniversary



                For better, for worse

               For richer, for poorer,

              In sickness, and in health,

              To love and to cherish,

              Till death us do part.





I wholeheartedly agree with all of those except for one, "To love and to cherish, Till death us do part." When someone dies, our love for them does not, nor do I believe that their love dies for us. It just takes a different form. Our love lives on in our memories of them, the way we feel when we hear a song that we danced to or see a picture of them. There is a quote from a show called Company of Angels. It is spoken by the character of "Joe", to his mother, "Toby" as he tries to help her accept his death and move on. "Love cannot die, Mama" I know my mother thinks of my dad often. I know she still loves him deeply, and I know my dad's love surrounds her and all of us every day!