When Ronnie Met Sandy

Billy Crystal once said in the great movie When Harry Met Sally, “Men can never really be friends with women.” The implication? Men’s motivations tend to get in the way. But but by the end of the movie, Harry transforms and best friends Harry and Sally become. More importantly, happily married they end up. We assume anyway. There never was a sequel.

Mom always told me the key ingredient in a good marriage was humor. Dad never gave me advice on the making of a good marriage. But we did watch The Bold and Beautiful together. I learned quite a bit from that.

When a child looks back and mostly remembers joy, laughter, and a sense of security, a couple should feel a sense of accomplishment about their time together. There’s a reason I still hang around the house at the ripe old age of 46. The home I grew up in valued knowledge, generosity, work ethic, and comedy. All of these values were easily found in a bean field, at the kitchen table, or watching Saturday Night Live.

Fifty years! What a gift you have given us by celebrating fifty years of marriage. Thank you for enjoying each other’s differences, finding joy in the world together, and passing it on to the ones you love the most.