Life Lessons from Wedding Anniversary II

Just the other day, I shared a life lesson from my parents 40th anniversary. To my surprise, a good friend of mine wrote back and told me that my own life lessons from an anniversary party had reminded her of an anniversary party that she once attended. At this party, the wife recounted a story from early on in her marriage to all the guests. I’d like to share my friend’s experience in her own words, below:

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Some time ago, I attended a milestone anniversary party for an older couple. Each of the members of the couple shared some words with their guests, and the wife told a story that I have never forgotten.

One day, she was driving home from work with some colleagues, and discovered that she was behind her husband’s car. Her colleagues signaled to the car, and her husband pulled over. As she walked up to the car, she found a woman she didn’t know in the passenger seat. Unbothered, she opened the passenger door and allowed the woman to move to the back seat. Her husband dropped her at home, and then proceeded on his way to wherever he was going.

At the time I heard that story, I found it very shocking. I felt it was very surprising to me that the celebrant would accept her husband going around with another woman. I was also surprised she would share the story publicly, especially at a celebration of their relationship.

Several years later, I see this story much differently. Today I look back at the story and see a…