Reflections: Thirty Years

On this day thirty years ago, Doug and I planned a very small wedding ceremony (with my not-quite five-year-old son, Christopher, our only guest) on Martha’s Vineyard. I envisioned standing on a windswept hill with a lonely lighthouse overlooking the sound, Doug and I reciting simple vows before the local justice of the peace, and Christopher standing between us holding our hands. The day didn’t go as planned. We woke to pouring rain and heavy winds. The justice wasn’t willing to trudge up a hill to satisfy my romantic notions. Christopher only wanted to play. I was a little frantic until the justice of the peace offered his quaint Victorian house in the small town of West Tisbury for the ceremony. Given we had no guests or other plans to re-arrange, it worked. I suppose that simple ceremony with the last minute changes presaged much of the past thirty years as we’ve savored adventures, grabbed opportunities, included our boys in most everything we’ve done, and continued forward together.

Several people asked Doug what we were going to do to celebrate this milestone. We reflected on the question, as we’ve never really planned big celebrations. So it was not unusual that nothing special was planned for today; we did what we often do on Sunday mornings. We hiked about 6 1/2 miles roundtrip from our house to 8100′ elevation at the Green Mountain summit, with spectacular views of Boulder to the east and the snow-covered Rockies to the west. The hike, amidst a deluge of wildflowers, tumbling streams, and pine-filled scent, was tough but rewarding.

Being able to walk out the door and immediately be immersed in nature, to contemplate and reflect on what is going on in the world, to remember friends and family, to share in our sons’ lives, this is what we celebrated on the thirtieth anniversary of that small wedding ceremony. It’s also what we cherish and celebrate every day of our lives. We are indeed fortunate.