Forty-three years

Forty-three.  Such a funny number.  It's not a nice round number like 50 or 40 or even 25.  Nobody talks about celebrating the 43rd anniversary of this or the 43rd annual that.  In fact, until today if anyone mentioned the number 43 to me the only connection I would probably have made is to Bush 43 as in Bush, our 43rd president.

But today 43 means so much more.  Forty-three years ago I was accepted by a young, beautiful woman to be her lawfully wedded husband.  And I, in turn, accepted her to be my lawfully wedded wife.  And that, as Robert Frost would have said, has made all the difference in the world.

Carolyn suggested this morning that we try for another 43 and I couldn't help chuckling.  Ten years ago 43 might have seemed possible.  Unlikely, but possible.  Even with high blood pressure and 40 extra pounds, I could still enjoy a good hike or a good swim.  I preferred watching my children and their spouses pack the trailers and trucks bringing us to Sacramento but I could share a good portion of the work.  Now, I have to wonder what Carolyn would want from me for another 43 years.

The last 10 years have taken more out of us than we had ever expected.  But they've also given us wonderful in-laws and grandchildren that we've had some time to enjoy.  Another 10 years would certainly be welcomed, maybe even 20 more.  But I can't imagine 43.

And as much as we love our friends in Long Beach (and those in Utah from Long Beach) we've been blessed with many new friends in Sacramento.  We'd like a few more years to add to those.

So I don't plan to stop at 43 and I don't plan to spend another 43.  I guess we'll keep on doing what people have always done, negotiate life one day at a time hoping to have many more but knowing that there is indeed a limit.