Love Will Keep Us Together

I remember when we moved into our home outside of Big Rapids, way out in the country. I remember that dad had taken a job where he started an agricultural store/office in Reed City for Allegan Pipe and Supply, and as an entrepreneur, dad ended up working from before dawn ‘til after dusk many times. Twelve hour days were the norm for him, and I can remember as an 8, 9 and 10 year old hating him for never being around. When he was around he built a shed out back. He built a deck, a new driveway, planted a tree line, dug a pond, and remodeled the basement. I remember him putting in a new well by hand. I tried to help with that. I guess what I really remember tonight is all the sweat.

Mom worked hard too. She always canned, sewed, and took care of us kids and the house. I remember shelves and shelves of canned fruit and vegetables…hundreds of jars of beans at a time. Mom took care of the two runt pigs that we raised, and then she cooked them after we got the meat back from the butcher. Mom would work all day taking care of us kids, cleaning the house, doing laundry, shopping, and so on. Then, after dad got home, mom would go put on Home Interior parties to make extra money on the side for us to survive.

I remember dad, mom, and us three boys getting caught in a snowstorm in the little hatchback, Dodge Colt, and getting stuck about every 50 feet for miles as we tried to get home. I remember that every Christmas we got something awe inspiring. I remember one year I got a BB gun, and I thought it was the same kind as the neighbor kids (I was wrong.). His was junk, and so I was totally unimpressed. I think today how I would feel if a kid of mine reacted as I did that day…it was crush me.

I’m now almost the age my dad was when I first started driving the car, and as I look back I’m amazed at how these young kids raised a family. Although I never knew it at the time, we lived below the poverty line most of the time until I got into high school, but we never seemed to want anything.

My point is that marriage is largely about blood, sweat and tears. It’s more about finding someone to be your partner through these trials than finding the best romancer or the hottest chic. My advice: pick someone you can rely on. I did. Well, she’s hot too.