My Anniversary

Twenty-two years ago on this day, sometime in the afternoon as I recall, my wife and I were married in Gatlinburg, TN at a small wedding chapel with no guests except the preacher's secretary or whatever else she might have been...

We were living in Morristown but we on our way to Chattanooga  and a couple of years later moved back to the Morristown area where we have been living ever since...

We don't do much for our anniversary except exchange cards (I typically write a poem) and go out to dinner...  I cannot remember if we ever exchanged gifts or not, but that does not really matter, does it?  It's the thought behind the desire to do something that matters.

Over these 22 years, both of us have forgotten...
Over these 22 years, both of us have been angry at each other...
Over these 22 years, both of us have said "stuff" that I believed we later regretted...
Over these 22 years, both of us have remained together regardless of what has happened...

We are not the same as we were 22 years ago and while both our previous marriages lasted 23 years, I have no doubts that we will remain together until we die.

Why...  do I think that?

We have survived the death of a son.
We have survived disappointments.
We have survived our families.
We have survived separation.
We have survived each other.
We have survived finances.
We have survived cancer.