I’ve been out of high school for 10 years and college for nearly six, and I’m starting to notice through Facebook that people I knew in high school who got married straight outta college are starting to get divorced. Yes, we’re there, folks. We made it through the stage where everybody got married, then the stage where people started having babies (I have several friends who are on their second child/pregnancies — mazel tov!). And now people are starting to get divorced. (And here I am, the unmarried, unmotherly nonconformist 🙂
I just Googled ‘average length of marriage.’ Fun fact: when you start typing in ‘average length of …’ in the Google box, the first four suggestions in order are: intercourse, marriage, menstrual cycle and college football game. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you America. Anyway, the Google couldn’t give me a straight answer. I saw everything from seven years to 24 years as the average length of marriage.
The Modern Parents celebrated their 30th yesterday. So even if 24 is the real average length of marriage, they’re still above average. And they are.
I laughed when the Modern Mom told me what they were doing yesterday to celebrate: The Modern Dad had to work late so he just requested some of the MM’s Weight Watchers-recipe taco soup. He wanted to save his calories for when they go out to celebrate at their favorite Italian restaurant later in the week. She surprised him anyway with his favorite dessert, a chocolate pie. Pearls weren’t the gift of choice, as is the traditional suggestion. Instead, they got a new mattress a few weeks ago. Heh.
I neglected to ask either of them yesterday what it’s taken to get them here. The MD has said before that having things in common is a way better gig than opposites attract, and they do enjoy many of the same activities like reading, traveling and watching sports (gee, where do I get it from?). I imagine they’d also say hard work, a good sense of humor and lots and lots of tolerance.
Congrats, MG's parents! Thirty years is definitely something to celebrate. I think those of us whose parents are still married are lucky, because we can learn a lot about our own marriages one day from them.
awww! congrats to your 'rents!! Adam's parents celebrated their 30th a year or two ago and my beloved grandparents recently celebrated #50. I have noticed a couple of people i went to school with who are divorced and i find it…sad. Thats really the only word.
But for marriages like your parents and my in laws and grandparents, it makes me have faith in the whole sacrament of marriage and knowing that hubs and i can last through pretty much anything 🙂 I'm in it for the long haul 🙂
Congrat's to your parents that's a great length of time
Incidentally Google UK has erection, newborn, car and novel as the first four choices…not sure what that says about us either!
Congrats to your parents. I also have seen friends already divorced and remain unmarried and unmotherly. Maybe that will change one day but I'm not really in a hurry.
Congrats to the MG parents!
Like em, I am so not in a hurry.
I know someone my age from high school who is pregnant with twins… her 3rd and 4th.
aw congrats to your parents. my parents will be hitting the big 30 this may and it's just nuts to me sometimes, awesome but nuts, haha.
My parents just had their 35th and I have no idea how they do it. I get itchy thinking about hitting the year mark.
Oh my gosh, happy anniversary to your parents! That's amazing. I haven't gotten to the divorced part for friends yet but babies are a boom right now. And your Google search options are hilarious.
On a side, you should Google "How" and wait for the suggestions … never a more picturesque hodgepodge of American culture.
man mattresses are clutch!
Awe, a new mattress is a GREAT gift. I would love one right now.
That is one of the best Google auto-completes ever!
30 years! Congrats to them!
I've seen a lot of friends get divorced over the past few years too. It's sad, and I'm always surprised. I guess a part of it is that I always think of divorce as something old people – grown ups – do. I'm still wondering when I'll feel like a grown-up. Not that I want to get divorced. Old people stay married too.