My mother-in-law reaches a major milestone this week – she celebrates her 90th birthday. She is the beloved matriarch of a large extended family, and all her children are traveling to Southern California to celebrate and honor her. We are all looking forward to a fun family reunion at a camp with ziplines, archery, hiking, swimming, pickleball, etc. My MIL is a good sport but says she’ll pass on ziplining and sleeping on the top bunk!
Instead of discussing dating disasters this month, I thought I’d discuss a love that has endured through the ages. My MIL was a cute coed completing her undergraduate education when she first met my father-in-law, a newly minted college instructor. She was a blonde bombshell, according to him, and he was instantly drawn to her. It’s weird to think of grandma as a hot babe, but the photos support his opinion. He heard her speak at church and was intrigued by her thoughts and articulate nature…among other things. When he saw her manning a desk during registration, he seized the opportunity and struck up a conversation. And, as they say, the rest was history.
My in-laws loved and respected one another and worked in tandem in a cohesive partnership. I was impressed by the way they discussed each child and jointly tried to satisfy his or her needs. They created a tight knit family bound together by love and friendship. And their relationship endured over time even as they weathered the storms of life (like losing everything they owned in a flood). My father-in-law has passed away, but his memory and the example they set live on in our hearts and minds. Whenever I hear the “Endless Love” song by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, I think of my in-laws as the melody plays.
