“The reason we got along was that Bill was deaf, and I can’t see – so I couldn’t see what he was doing all those years, and he couldn’t hear what I was saying.”  These words came from Betty as she and her husband Bill celebrated 70 years of marriage earlier this year in Colorado Springs.  They married February 9, 1946.

Stories were shared of their meeting, courtship, marriage, followed by Bill’s leaving four days later as he had been drafted by the army.  But the story that got everyone talking was how somewhere along the way in their travels, Bill had managed to lose their wedding rings.  It had no doubt become a familiar tale to recount.  But on this special anniversary, Bill had a surprise.

It seems that a couple of weeks earlier, he had been rummaging through an old collection of cufflinks when to his astonishment, he found Betty’s original gold wedding band.  Betty’s hand shot out as though she were 22 again and Bill obligingly slid the ring on her finger

As frequently happens at a milestone anniversary, the couple was asked, “What’s the secret to the longevity of your marriage?”  Betty responded initially with the beginning quote.  Bill replied, “”It’s just been a pleasure for us.”  But then more seriously, yet with a smile, Betty offered this – “It you have a fuss with someone, learn to get over it in a hurry.”  I couldn’t have said it better.  What a great tip for a Tuesday morning!