Mark and I started dating when we were young, practically babies.
We were married before either of us turned 25.
But deep down inside, we have always been old souls.
Our dating life consisted of grocery shopping, Jeopardy watching, and too many board games to count. We read the paper and talk about the price of orange juice. We both have incredible relationships with our grandparents, and look to their generation to set an example for our marriage.
When we do take an occasional date night, we both secretly hope to be seated near a more established couple. We love seeing the spark of love in experienced eyes, wrinkled hand holding across the table, and the ease in which two bodies move in harmony, even if the pace has slowed.
We like to take a peek inside the lives of a generation that came before us and hope that we can live up to their example. So when I saw this Time magazine special featuring Lauren Fleishman's work, I was smitten.
"Little by little we change but we don't change in our hearts. Love gets stronger. That is the way I feel. I believe he feels the same way. Yes, he was my first love. My first love and my last." - Leila Ramos
I am not sure which I appreciate more, the photos or their wise words on life, love, and marriage.
Valentine's Day is just a week away.
What are the examples of love in your life?
oh gosh i love this - and that quote. the biggest examples for me are my parents and grandparents, too. staying loyal and committed through the good and the bad, knowing it will get good again if you keep working at it.
ReplyDeletethis is precious! i love it shannon!
ReplyDelete@colleen - I love that you say "it will get good again if you keep working at it." It seems perserverance in relationships is so easily lost! yes, friend, you've got it!
ReplyDelete@sara - I thought of you and Caleb when I wrote this post, because I know you share a similar appreciation for the generations before us!
You guys are/were so cute!
ReplyDeleteI love this story. There is a couple on our street that always take walks holding hands. What an example.
I should say they are well into their 70's!!!
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh, shannon. i am sitting in my office with tears.
ReplyDeletethis is incredible. thank you so much for sharing.
my parents have set the most incredible example in my life. they have been married for 32 years!! My ma was 20, which was rare even THEN. they got engaged after 2 weeks of dating and were married five months later.
they're more in love now then they were the day they got married...
and it is the most incredible thing for me to witness.
i love this! i think that is so sweet that you two are both old souls and you found each other!! i would say our biggest inspiration are both of our parents. they have both been together for 30+ years and despite ups and downs have made it work. pretty impressive. getting old doesn't seem so bad when you have someone to do it with! :)
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