“Nature often holds up a mirror so we can see more clearly the ongoing processes of growth, renewal, and transformation in our own lives.”  (Mary Ann Brussat, Author)

Many times throughout this past year, Bleu has celebrated the “new”…new life, new love, new friendship.  We’ve honored new brides and new babies.  We’ve toasted new clients and new acquaintances.  We’ve welcomed new jobs and new homes.  We’ve given thanks and gratitude for each new day and the opportunities (and challenges!) they’ve brought with them.  We’ve shouted “hooray” for each new milestone and toasted those which still lie ahead.

And, we’re not alone.  “New”, after all, is what it’s all about these days.  It’s celebrated for its beauty and for its ability to bring with it both happiness and, perhaps even more importantly, hope.    

Who doesn’t love the smell of a new car or the feel of a new set of sheets when sliding into bed?  Who doesn’t like to show off a new haircut or a shiny new pair of shoes?  People stand in line for hours, even days, to watch a film that has been newly released or buy a book that has been newly published.  At the turn of each new season, we purchase all things new…new suits for swimming, new lunchboxes for school,  new coats for cold weather, and new color for the garden. 

Currently, there is even a national spirit of renewal…a movement towards new leadership and the change that is due to come with it.  Here again, “new” symbolizes growth and movement forward.       

Sometimes, however, the greatest and most treasured things are those which have stood the test of time…the things that are steadfast and true…the things that can be counted on, time and again, to weather the storm and withstand the frenzy of this thing we call life.

And today, Bleu is celebrating one of the greatest examples of just such a thing…a lifetime of love shared by two people.  And by “lifetime”, we mean 70 years. 

It was 1939.  Franklin D. Roosevelt was president of the United States.  The Spanish Civil War ended and World War II began.  That same year, John Steinbeck’s, The Grapes of Wrath, was first published.  Lou Gehrig played his 2,130 consecutive game and then, two months later, retired from the New York Yankees due to ALS.  The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind premiered at movie theaters.  And, Roger and Leila were married.

If you asked them today, they still remember clearly all of the little details…those things that make their love, and their journey together, special.  Roger remembers their first meeting and what it was that attracted him to Leila.  Leila remembers their first date and what it was that made Roger stand out from all the others.  Their life together has not always been easy; but, they will tell you, it has been blessed.  They have three children, seven grandchildren, five great grandchildren…and one on the way.

They can’t share with you the “secret” to a happy marriage.  They can tell you, however, what matters the most…love, loyalty, faith, and hard work.  (They’ll also tell you who really wears the pants in the family…depending on who you ask, however, the answer may differ just slightly.)  And at the end of the day, they’ll say, it really comes down to one thing…standing behind the commitments that you make. 

So, as much as we appreciate the things that are new, here’s to the celebration of those things that we also know to be true and good and real…and here’s to 70 years!

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 17th, 2009 at 9:59 pm and is filed under Bleu Life, Family. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.