Lessons Learned from 27 Years of Marriage

On Monday, my husband and I celebrated our 27 year wedding anniversary.  It’s hard to believe in some ways, but in others, it doesn’t seem that long ago.  We have had some amazing adventures that I will never forget, but have also learned a few things to pass on to others.

So what have I learned over all these years?  Here are just a few:

1. Never take things for granted.  You never know when something will change your life forever, so it is important to remember to cherish every moment you have with your children, grandchildren, family and friends. This is something you can teach your children and grandchildren whether they are living with you or not.
2. Agree on discipline strategies for your children and grandchildren.  If you don’t, they will get mixed messages and will not learn to make appropriate choices.  Offer choices, be consistent and follow through with the consequences, but do it with love.
3. Find your purpose early in life.  When you know your purpose in life, you can live a purposeful life.  I struggled with finding my purpose for years, and if I had understood my purpose earlier, I may have been able to help many more people in finding theirs.  No regrets, I’m just passing this on to you.  Help your children and grandchildren find their purpose and set some goals so they can live a purposeful life as well.
4. Spend wisely and plan for your future.  The economy is such an unstable part of our lives, and you never know when it is going to go down the tanker.  So, plan ahead and find a professional who can help you invest in your future.  Teach your children and grandchildren to do the same.  Teach them “money sense.”
5. Laugh and have fun.  We have spent 27 years finding ways of laughing and having fun, many of which do not require a lot of money.  It’s not how much money you spend, it’s the time you spend together that is important.  A few of our favorite pastimes are picnics on the beach and camping in the forest.  Of course, we live in Phoenix now, so the drive is a bit longer.
6. Take lots of pictures.  One of my hobbies is photography, so thank goodness for digital cameras! We have 21 years worth of photos and photo albums (I stopped using film about 6 years ago) in boxes.  If you can, invest in a good digital camera and download your pictures to an online photo gallery. I use Picasa which is free and available with a Google email (gmail.com) account.  Picasa allows you to catalog your pictures into albums and sort them however you want.  You can send the link to your photo gallery to your family and friends, and share your memories with anyone anytime.  Picasa also allows you to set your albums for public or private viewing, so your more personal family photos don’t have to be shared with the world.
7. Pay it forward. The act of doing good deeds as repayment of good deeds you receive is something you can teach your children and grandchildren.  I call these selfless acts of kindness.  Remember people who have helped you by helping others in return.

These are the few that really stand out.  After 27 years, we can still learn from these to pass on to the next generation, our grandchildren.