As if I haven’t been blogging enough I recently opened a 3rd Squidoo lens–…where the pain of family meets compassion…and a change of heart…
An author of Women’s Fiction centered on wives, and husbands trying to make it work, and succeeding, I felt the need to share my insights and discoveries about the institution of which I have participated for nearly 3 decades.
Thirty years at this, I recently uncovered, is nothing compared to Zelmyra and Herbert Fisher of North Carolina, who hold the Guinness Book of World Records for the couple with the longest years of wedlock.
I share my thoughts on this miraculous feat in my Squidoo blogs this week. It was quite thrilling to write about this couple, the Fishers, who have accomplished so much of what I value, human relationship, commitment, family, and the ability to endure despite the varied and numerous odds our culture and society places before any who dare to transgress boundaries of expediency and disposability.
The Fishers offer living proof that while few set out and struggle to achieve what my characters, and I work to ascertain and maintain, many still aspire and attach meaning and value what Zelmyra and Herbert symbolize, not simply endurance, but that time and circumstance, aging and the oldness of things have their place too.
This says much in a culture that places a premium on beauty, speed and savvy.
Again, I met my passion when chancing upon this article at Black and Married with Kids.
More and more I find myself in the minority, that I am married and believe that the institution, despite the negative press of celebrity break-ups and scandals, has it strong points that no other part of dimension of society can offer or reproduce.
And yet I realize that marriage is not for everyone. It is written in The 16th Century Book of Common Prayer that the Apostle Paul advises marriage: “…is not by any to be enterprised nor taken in hand unadvisedly, or lightly; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly and in the fear of God…”
Whether one believes in a higher power or not, marriage is an institution that tries the nerves and patience of all humankind who choose it as a lifestyle.
And in this I find great fascination in not simply observing the challenges facing married couples, but more importantly what commitment to this way of living demands of those of us who will not quit.
I saw it written that marriage is the one place where 1 + 1 = 1.
What a conundrum?
To be sure the institution of marriage has taken a beating.
But is it all bad?
Are all marriages horrible?
No, though a great many have failed.
Zelmyra and Herbert Fisher say they have no secrets to how and why they’ve remained together for so long.
I don’t know about you, but I find that interesting.
As for blogging and passion, the former offers a wonderful opportunity to explore and write about the paradoxes of life.
To be sure, marriage remains one of the many oxymorons that humans have, since time immemorial, tried to unravel.
Those of us who have made a success of our marriages hold passion for the institution as well as our partners.
I cannot say that I’ve come any closer to untying the knot of confusion around this institution or subject.
But I certainly find that it leaves much for me to ponder, both before and always after blogging on some aspect of marriage.
Successful blogging requires that we choose a topic that in writing about it, we offer not so many answers, unless that is your subject lends itself to this. Rather many aspects of human life and living simply ask that we offer up our thoughts, ideas that support, encourage and stimulate others to ponder and discuss the matter.
In this way we catalyze the thought processes of our readers. In so doing, we nurture ourselves along the way.
And voila!
We uncover another angle from which to write.
How wonderful!
What are some of your passions?
What topics do you find virtually inexhaustible?
How’s your blogging doing?