My husband and I celebrated our 58th anniversary in June. We are both amazed at this number. I remember sitting in audiences and the speaker would ask, “ How many years have you been married?” As the total number of anniversaries would rise from the crowd, it was sometimes astonishing to me. I remember thinking, “Wow, they’ve been married 60 years!” Now my husband and I are heading in that direction.

Just this past week, I was able to catch up with an old acquaintance that I hadn’t seen in years. As we updated each other on our lives, I mentioned that my husband and I had just celebrated our 58th anniversary. She sadly smiled and said, “My husband died a few years ago and we had been married about that long. It’s hard to readjust your life when you have lived with someone that long and he is no longer there. I’m still adjusting and trying to find new things to do.” She went on to say, “Cherish the moments you have with your husband.”

I can’t stop thinking about what she said. I’ve had other people say the same thing. Also, I think of others who are struggling with a spouse who has dementia. The person with dementia is there physically, but is lost to everyone in other ways-the ways that count.

I was sitting by my husband in church Sunday. I reached out to touch his arm and he responded by holding my hand. I thought about how much we mean to each other. We have our ups and downs, but we have learned how to adjust through good times and bad. We have great memories to share and many more great times to share. I thank God that we have had these 58 years and pray that we will have many more.

Those of my readers, who still have spouses, I hope you take that person’s advice and cherish the moments. For those who have lost a spouse, I pray for you as you rebuild your lives. May God bless us.

I’d like to end with a little joke that my husband and I thought was hilarious. I hope you enjoy it too.

A married couple, who were both 60, were celebrating their anniversary. During their party, a fairy appeared to congratulate them and grant them each one wish. The wife wanted to travel around the world. The fairy waved her wand and poof – the wife had tickets in her hand for a world cruise. Next, the fairy asked the husband what he wanted. He said: “I wish I had a wife 30 years younger than me.” So the fairy picked up her wand and poof – the husband was 90.