The "Age Old Tradition Of Love": Story

It was an ordinary day. Except for the fact that it's Valentine's Day, at least on Harrington Drive where I live with my beautiful wife, Carol.  We have been celebrating Valentine's day as a married couple for 50 years now having celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in 2017.  It was June 17, 1967 that we said, "I Do!" in front of a packed crowd at St. James Episcopal Church in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

50 years ago.

Celebrated our first married Valentine's Day the following February 14th.  I did remember to buy my lovely wife a card this year, but as for a Valentine's Day gift, she suggested we stop a few days ago and buy a box of our favorite Meise's sea salt chocolate caramels for each other instead of something we will more than likely never use.  So tonight after supper we will celebrate with a sea salt chocolate caramel and a glass of Nissley's Grapeful Red wine.  And, then we might have...another piece of candy.  My parents stopped buying cards for each other when they reached their 50th anniversary.  

John and Ann Betar 83 years ago.

Instead, they had a box of cards they had collected over their wedded lifetime and each year after 50 they would go to the box and find one that they would re-give for Valentine's Day.  Now, that may sound cheap, but it really was very romantic seeing how much they were in love with each other over their first 50 years; plus it was frugal, not cheap!  But, 50 years really isn't that big a deal for quite a few married couples.  I read about John and Ann Betar who have been celebrating Valentine's Day, as well as marriage, for 83 years now.  John was 21 and Ann was 17 when they eloped in 1932.  Seems Ann's father wanted her to marry a much older man and she decided to marry the man whom she loved before her father could arrange something different.  

The Betar's celebrating Valentine's Day.

Today they celebrate their 83rd Valentine's Day together.  John is now 106 and Ann is 102.  They have the distinction of being America's longest-married couple.  They had five children, 15 grandkids and just about as many great-grandkids.  For Valentine's Day they will take a ride in the same model Ford Roadster that they did on their first date.  Ann's advice for married couples is to listen to one another no matter what the situation may be.  Seems to have worked for them.  Anyway, Happy Valentine's Day to all sweethearts today.  Just don't stop by for any chocolate caramels since I'm going to hide them.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.