This morning I woke up to a TV discussion about whether or not marriage had value anymore.  It was an over-bearing, frustrating thought that I couldn’t shake from my mind till my daily walk.

Walking around a very familiar neighborhood, I saw two people that stood out. They were an elderly couple, lively and warm looking. I’d seen many people walking down that particular street, but this couple stood out because they were holding hands.

The gentleman gave me a wave while the lady commented on the beautiful weather. I agreed in return, then felt an overwhelming need to ask them something.

“Can I ask you something? How long have you two been together?”

The woman nearly blushed as she said, “61 years.”

“61 years? And you still hold hands while going for walks?”

The gentleman held his wife’s hand to his chest lovingly.

“Oh, we hold hands a lot of places. Not just walking.” the wife said.

I was completely astounded. “So what’s your secret?”

The wife laughed. “No secret, really. You have to focus on the positive, not the negative. Each day is a blessing. And we’ve been truly blessed.”

As an affirmation of her words, the gentleman kissed his wife’s hand. We then parted ways, and I couldn’t help but grin.

Good marriages still exist. The views of this world seem to get worse and worse when it comes to reciting vows and keeping promises, but there are those that refuse to believe the rumors that marriage is a pointless endeavor that only ends in heartbreak or divorce. This particular couple chose to be those people.

There are far more negative examples to look to when it comes to marriage, but maybe it’s time to focus on the positive ones. The ones that don’t give up, do what it takes, and put one of the most impacting relationships in this world first.

Maybe it’s time more people ignored this world’s memos about marriage and relationships and instead decided to view marriage in a positive light.