Fifty Years

An awfully momentous event went relatively unnoticed over the weekend. My folks celebrated their 50-year wedding anniversary.

The “relatively unnoticed” part is that the big celebration is going to happen in early August. That week, all of us kids, all of our kids and spouses, Mom and Dad, are headed up to Estes Park to a couple of cabins at the YMCA of the Rockies.

It’s a place we spent lots of summers when it was just three kids, them, and a station wagon. Now, the trip will involve four families coming from three cities….12 people, several cars and probably a couple of plane flights.

Check out these pics, from very early in their marriage…

Man, were they young and stylin’

I have no real way to quantify what fifty years means, except to note that these days it seems an extraordinary achievement. It’s also a bit strange to imagine that I’ve been around for most of that journey with them. I’m trying not to think too deeply about that so as to avoid associating my personhood with the word “50” for as long as possible.

One thing I love about watching my parents these days is how clearly they enjoy spending time with each other. They keep busy with a great many things, between their own interests, the lakehouse, and kids/grandkids in three different cities. But, first and foremost, they love being with each other, and it’s really wonderful to see.