Growing Old Together

  One of the perks of going out to shop once a week is that I sometimes see relatives, other homeschoolers, or people with whom I used to go to church. Otherwise, the number of people I see is generally limited to the people at church, since I don't have a job.
 The other week was one such occassion.  I saw " Brenda" and "Ken".  This couple attended the church in which I was saved and her parents were good friends of my parents.  I hadn't seen them for years.  Of course, we asked about each other's families and had a little chat.
  As they were headed out the door and I was still packing my groceries, he said, "Take care of yourself."  Then he corrected himself by saying, "These days, we can't take care of ourselves.  We take care of each other." I smiled and nodded.  Little did he know that my husband was, even then, pretty much confined to our recliner, due to back problems.
  As I got in the car and drove off, I remembered that a number of years ago I had heard that they had  a rather rough bump in their road of marriage.  But here they were, an obviously happy and contented couple.
 
                            to have and to hold from this day forward,
                            for better, for worse,
                            for richer, for poorer,
                            in sickness and health,
                            to love and to cherish,
                            until death do us part.