When you touch someone with your spirit, in turn they touch your soul with their heart. Time passes, memories fade, feelings change, people come and go but hearts never forget. Here's a beautiful article inspired by the writings of Henrylito D. Tacio.

Two years ago, I attended a golden wedding anniversary. Since I had nothing to do at that time, I decided to go. I sat down at the church and met some of my friend's families, relatives, and friends.  When the ceremony started, everyone was silent.  Some family members were in tears. 

In the middle of the ceremony, one grandson stood up, went to the podium, and sang the haunting Kenny Rogers song. "I can't remember when you weren't there, when I didn't care for anyone but you. I swear, we've been through everything there is. Can't imagine anything we've missed, can't imagine anything the two of us can't do."

Then, he belted out: "Through the years, you've never let me down. You turned my life around, the sweetest days I've found, I've found with you.  Through the years, I've never been afraid.  I've loved the life we've made.  And I'm so glad I've stayed, right here with you through the years."

This particular scenario came flashing into my mind as I read the story forwarded to me by a friend.  Read it and ponder:

During the renovation of a house in Japan, someone breaks open the walls.  (For the information of the uninformed, Japanese houses normally have a hollow space between the wooden walls.) 

Upon tearing down the walls, he found a lizard stuck there because a nail from outside was hammered into one of its feet!  He sees this, feels pity, and at the same time curious, because it was nailed 10 years ago when the house was first built!

The lizard has survived in such position in a dark wall partition for 10 years without moving!  Indeed, it is impossible and mind-boggling!  He keeps wondering how this lizard survived for 10 years without moving a single step, since its foot was nailed!

He stopped his work momentarily and observed the lizard, what it has been doing, and what and how it has been eating! Later, out from nowhere appears another lizard, with food in its mouth, suddenly feeding the stuck lizard.

He was deeply touched and stunned at such a scene!  Imagine?  The other lizard has been doing that untiringly for 10 long years, without giving up hope! Pause for a moment and think:  Will you do that to your partner?

If lizards can do it, why can't human beings do? Being married to the person you love is the best thing that ever happen to you. You belong to that person and that person belongs to you.

Marriage should be forever. Find the right partner for you. Women should not marry a guy because he is handsome, rich, nor because her parents tell her to marry him.  The same is true with men.  He should search for the right woman for him. 

Marry the person whom you will love even when you wake up in the morning and find him/her not good looking enough. "Happy marriages," said Tom Mullen, "begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry."

Once you're married to the person whom you thought is the right one for you, accept him/her, including the bad traits and habits.  Josh McDowell reminds, "What you are as a single person, you will be as a married person, only to a greater degree. Any negative character trait will be intensified in a marriage relationship, because you will feel free to let your guard down - that person has committed himself/herself to you and you no longer have to worry about scaring him/her off."

Marriage is not always a bed of roses.  Two people from different backgrounds usually clash but that's alright.  Opposite attracts each other, right? "Men marry women with the hope they will never change," commented Albert Einstein.  "Women marry men with the hope they will change.  Invariably they are both disappointed."

Ogden Nash tells: "Marriage is the alliance of two people, one of whom never remembers birthdays and the other who never forgets."  However, he offers some advice: "To keep your marriage brimming, with love in the loving cup, whenever you're wrong admit it; whenever you're right shut up."

Yes, there are marriages made in heaven - because from the beginning, God is in the midst of the union.  Marriage, someone once said, is always a triangle: man, woman, and God.

With that, marriage is bound to be forever.  And husband and wife will live happily ever after.  The Kenny Rogers song said it well: "I can't remember what I used to do.  Who I trusted whom, I listened to before.  I swear you've taught me everything I know.  Can't imagine needing someone so but through the years it seems to me I need you more and more."

Do you want to stay married to your partner forever?  Learn wisdom from the words of Bon Jovi's spouse: "My wife tells me that if I ever decide to leave, she is coming with me."

By Tim Pedrosa

  Tim