Week 52 2024

We celebrated my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary last night. 50 years! My sister and my family got together with Mom and Dad for a photo shoot and dinner at my parents’ favorite Tulsa-area restaurant, Charleston’s. Our table decorations included 30 or so photos of parents throughout their relationship, placed on card stands and spread along our long table.

I was struck by how my parents lit up each time they saw a different photo that triggered a memory. Some photos were well-remembered moments. Some were forgotten and rekindled. Seeing my parents’ faces light up when they remembered riding Mystic Timbers at Kings Island, vacationing in Mexico, cooking in their kitchen in Houston, and facing off with foam guns at a tailgate for an Oklahoma State vs—Texas Tech football game was heartwarming.

My marriage is only half as long as my parents, and I am grateful Amy and I have made so many of our own photos. Being with our families last night reminds me to cherish each day with Amy. Who knows which ones will be photos on our table in 25 years and who will be sitting around it?