Marriage is a wonderful thing.

And marriage is different from a wedding. Some brides are more enamored with the idea of a wedding than that of a marriage. A wedding lasts for a season, marriage lasts forever.

Next year, Katha and I will have been married for forty years. Hard to believe! She has been an incredible life partner to me as she has encouraged me in times of disappointment, supported me in times of leadership and prodded me in times of hesitation.

I can honestly say she is my best friend.

One day many years ago (1987), we were regularly singing with the Mesquite (Texas) Civic Chorus and I felt we needed a break from our weekly rehearsals. So, I took her to see a movie that had just been released. I had been looking for a movie with action and romance. (To satisfy both of our interests.) The new movie we experienced was called The Princess Bride.

It was (and still is) hilarious entertainment!

During the brief wedding scene, the clergyman begins by saying…

“Mawage is wot bwings us togeder today. Mawage, that bwessed awangement, that dweam wifin a dweam… And wuv, twue wuv, will fowow you foweva… So tweasure your wuv.”

In the context of the movie, this scene was really funny. But in real life, a healthy marriage is no laughing matter. It takes work from both sides – but the dividends from the investment are phenomenal.

“Katha, thanks for being my best friend…
and for not giving up on me through the years.”