The Dead Sea

Photo stolen from my mom's facebook page

Back in July, there was a blog post by Lisa-Jo Baker floating around facebook, When You Think Your Love Story is Boring.  She wrote about how remarkable the every day love is.  Does it look like a movie?  Of course not.  How could it?

A real love story is about the day to day.

She wrote, love really lives and this ordinary unremarkable love walks slowly every day alongside.

It’s not about a scripted romantic moment.  It is about staying together through the every day.

And there is beauty in that.

Today my parents are celebrating 50 years of marriage.  When I think back on their marriage, I don’t see a series of romantic moments.

I see two people who have walked through live together, living their love.  They have shared this ordinary unremarkable love every day for 50 years.  The years have slipped by fast, I’m sure.  As with any marriage, there may have those long seasons of struggle.  As a kid, you can be oblivious to the reality of your family. 

At times, you can see moments with couples, not movie scripted romantic moments, but glimpses into their ordinary unremarkable love.  I remember one Thanksgiving.  It was after dinner and the dishes were cleaned up.  Some of us were gathering in the family room to watch whatever football game was on.  My dad and mom were standing in front of the fire in the fireplace with their arms around each other’s waists. 

It made me wonder what they were thinking in that moment.  There was the simplicity of that ordinary remarkable love.

Years later, married with kids of my own, I look to moments like that, moments that Billy and I share where our simple love lives. 

When I look at my parents’ marriage and wonder how they have influenced my life and the love I have with Billy, I think about our walk through life.  Through the good times and the struggles, Billy and I have stayed together.  At times, our walk has been a lot like a trail run, stumbling over if we took one look off the path we were on.  That’s part of the journey of life, I suppose.

But the years (and my parents) have taught me that when we are stumbling, that moment (or season) will pass.  I look at my parents’ marriage for that ordinary remarkable love that walks alongside.  I look to Billy for it.  And of course, I have a song to share that makes me think of it, The Dead Sea by The Lumineers.

You told me I was like the Dead Sea, you’ll never sink when you are with me

And this too:

I’m like the Dead Sea, the finest words you ever said to me

Honey, can’t you see, I was born to be, be your Dead Sea

Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad.  Thank you for your beautiful ordinary unremarkable love.  Thank you for being the Dead Sea.