Worth It

My wife Sallie and I have been married forty years this Sunday.

A friend asked me this last week what I have learned in forty years of marriage. It was one of those questions that called for instant profundity. I have problems being profound even with the luxury of time.

Here is what popped into my mind and mouth.

“It was worth it.”

Whatever effort, time, sacrifice we have invested to be married for forty years was worth it. (Truth be told, Sallie’s side of the bargain has been more costly than mine. It isn’t easy being married to a pastor, especially when that pastor is me.)

As a young man one of my clear goals was to do whatever it took to be well married. As a not so young man it is clear to me now that that was a good, a great, goal to have. It was worth it.

I say this to encourage others.

Through the years I have seen many people stop investing in their marriage. They quit. Honestly, often I “got it.” I could see why they might stop. But it still seemed like they would have been, maybe we all would have been, better off if they could have worked it out and kept investing in their marriage.

You will not read much social commentary on what ails our nation without running into comments about the fallout of people calling it quits on their marriage. The consequences of divorce ripple far beyond the couple involved.

Our marriage has blessed me tremendously. It was worth whatever investment I, we, have made. On our fortieth anniversary that seems significant to me.

And again, I hope it encourages you.

What this week has seemed significant to you?