How About Some Good News?

Having had no luck or judgement with regard to relationships myself, I get tremendous joy from seeing my DD and SIL cherishing each other after 14 years of marriage (19 years together). They struggled to have their 2 precious children (IVF) and have had some difficult times, but when I visit and they look at each other with complete understanding and love, or my SIL passes my DD and kisses her on top of the head (he is tall and she is short), it makes my heart so happy. They have mutual respect, share household and parenting duties and laugh together, which I think may be the most important thing.

I was divorced at 37, nearly 50 years ago. Chose not to marry again, like my own company and have a lovely family. I really enjoyed reading about all the long marriages, shows it can be done with love and give-and take.on both sides. My friends are a mixture of divorcees, widows and happily marrieds.

OK, so my marriage isn't quite perfect - only about 95%! - but although he's severely disabled, a dreadful grouch and can't easily get out of the house, but we wouldn't be without one another for all the tea in China!

People should be greatful for someone just to be there with them .us single ladies /men go home to an empty house.everyday

51 years this year and we have a comfortable and happy relationship. Even my DD commented that you and dad seem to be ok as we both have our own interests and I think the family thought we would be at each other's throats!

But we've settled down to a routine during lockdown and it's been good for us to spend more time together. We've got each other sussed after so long together.

Thank you OP for this lovely & uplifting post!
40+ years and counting here.
Not perfect obviously, but nothing that a good dose of 'Pollyanna approach' hasn't been able to take care of. And when it doesn't seem to work, you ask? "Double the dose!", is the advice I read once and endeavour to apply.
Mind you, chances are if my husband were ever to read this he'd probably think, "What is she on about?! I'm the one who needs a triple dose of it every day!!"

Us, 43 years and still happy. All the aforementioned.

Lovely to read of so many long term marriages.
Sad to read of the less fortunate. Hope that the post does not cause too much pain, not wanting to hurt or boast.
Just fed up with all the bad news and media obsession with calamities.
Good news obviously doesn't sell newspapers or increase viewing figures.
As many say, life has it's ups and downs. The main thing is to be able to survive the downs, and to enjoy the ups.
Bad times do change us, hopefully for the better, making us stronger and more tolerant and aware of others.

Somewhere there will be someone with a bigger problem than yours
Value your good times together, and say so!

Keep the good news coming.

Married since we were both 20. Gosh we've had our ups and downs but after 47 years I wouldn't change him! We are so different. I'm quiet, hes an extrovert. He's out this morning meeting friends for coffee. I'm happily at home. He does all the cooking because he is so good at it. I do the gardening because I love it. We make it work because we are friends as well as husband and wife.

Married since we were 20, like inishowen Now both 75. We have always been the best of friends. I am impatient and do things quickly. DH is very methodical but does do a beautiful job. We like the same things mostly and enjoy each other’s company. What more could we want?

Coming up 53 years, all sorts of ups and downs, all kinds of interests but contented lockdown. Assorted underwear over the years some more unusual than others

I can see it might make things worse if you are unhappy to find a thread telling how happy the rest of us are, but you don't have to read it!

And a lot (most?) unhappy or unfortunate people are big enough to be glad that others are happy.

I am glad to hear that others are happy with their husbands, just as I am.

I was beginning to think that most of our age group were just staying together because they could not afford to split up!

Not a nice thought.

This is a lovely uplifting thread, thank you OP.

My life hasn't been perfect, but my DH is everything to me and I count my lucky stars every day for him.

Bluebellwould..well said?

We will be married for 40 years next year. I remember dancing with my husband at our wedding, and I asking the spirits above to give me at least 35 years with this wonderful man. I am now asking for another 35 years!

It is good to hear about happy lives for a change and know its not all sadness out there. We see a lot of threads about estrangement so why not the other side of the coin.
Bursting to tell but didn't want to seem boastful my granddaughter got a first in law. I'm so proud of her.

Smile!

Granny guitar, that is so funny. It made me laugh out loud.

We’ve been married for 33 years now. DH’s parents and brother all tried to talk me out of marrying him. ‘He’s a wastrel’, they said. ‘It won’t last’. ‘I’ll give it 6 months’. Retiring and running away to sea - well, to a life on a 57ft tube on the inland waterways turned us into a Team. As it was just the two of us we shared duties. I did the lock wheeling and he steered the boat. We had to be our own and each other’s ‘elf and safety police. Without team work we’d have got no where. Too knackered to argue after a day on the move. Anyway, we’ve found a permanent mooring now, off the coast of Norfolk and have settled down to an even slower pace of life. We’re perfectly happy and a bit like Daisy and Onslow, from ‘Keeping Up Appearances’.

Pic of boat for reference.

What a lovely thread. A reflection of how genuinely nice people are, lots of long happy marriages, lots of magnanimous grans who haven't been so lucky but are able to enjoy our happiness and lots of widows who appreciate what they've had and can share the joy of those who still have that pleasure.
We celebrated our 50th earlier this month with a romantic candlelit dinner for two instead of the planned party and I have to say it suited us very well.
Never been given pretty knickers although naively he did buy me a very pretty nightie for my 15th birthday which my mother wrapped around his pimply teenage neck.
SuzannahM we have played at least one game of scrabble each day since lockdown, loser makes dinner, won't say who cooks most at risk of sounding smug.
WhitewaveMark2 clown and puppy story hilarious
MawB what a wonderful dancer your grandson must be.
zsazsawhat a lovely spirit you have, being able to appreciate the wonderful years you have had while going through the sadness that alzheimers brings to so many.
Puzzled So sad for your loss and for your neighbour, what a terrible shock.
Puzzler Thank you for a wonderful thread.
I'd like to repeat what WhitewaveMark2 said to those who are feeling unhappy
'Please don’t think that there is no room in our happiness for empathy or sympathy, in fact I think we may well be emotionally secure and strong enough to be in a position to give as much support and help that is needed'.
Lastly congratulations to all those with a golden wedding anniversary this year.

narrowboatnan looks and sounds idyllic

oops, I'm so sorry I think I got Puzzler and Puzzled mixed up, hope I haven't caused any hurt.

Lucca

Would a post like that not fit into the “signalling” category as discussed last week ?!

Quoting myself....I WAS JOKING !

Pretty knickers! Never. Last surprise gift was a battery device with different sized brush heads thoughtfully given to help when I am cleaning the tiles on walls and awkward bits on the floor. Spotted on a rare visit to a well known German supermarket when DH was in for a DIY item. My gift was useless.

Yes, Puzzled, let’s hear some good news.