What's Love Got To Do With It?

[Mary Ann]

Cindy wrote:

> I recently celebrated my 13th wedding anniversary

Congratulations! :)

> Anyway, this latest anniversary got me thinking about two things. 
> First, I started to wonder if I have the longest marriage of 
anyone on
> OTC (of those who are willing to admit to being married, anyway).  
<g>
>  Surely I ought to be in contention for the title, don't you 
think?  I
> mean, 13 years sure *feels* like a really long time.

<vbg>  Heck, 8 years feels like a long time!  To make matters more 
interesting, DH and I lived on different continents 'til 6 weeks 
before the marriage.  We met as penfriends, and only met up face-to-
face about 8 times before I packed up my life and moved here.  No 
regrets (usually!).

> Second, I started to wonder if there is any common characteristic
> among those who are married for a long time.

Friendship and some common interests are my key contenders (apart 
from the obvious ones like love).  At the same time, we have 
differing interests, so we're not surgically attached at the hip 
either.  For example, DH flat out refuses to read any HP books, and 
I flat out refuse to go train-spotting.  I've got *some* pride, ya 
know! ;)  While we have different hobbies we make sure we spend 
child-free time together every week, especially as we work opposing 
hours.  As a lot of you have said, you must never stop working on 
the relationship, or it will fall apart. 

> Cindy -- who doesn't wear her engagement or wedding rings anymore
> because they annoy her, and they are too small now anyway

Mary Ann, who wears her own wedding ring on her left hand and her 
late mother's wedding ring and silver anniversary solitaire ring on 
her right hand (too damn scared to leave the solitaire at home)