My grandparents share lasting love
On Monday, people all over the country will be celebrating Valentine’s Day – a day set aside to remember the one you love.
As I was thinking about this, I started to think about my grandparents, Bill and Rhoda Jackson, who celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary Friday.
My grandmother said my grandfather asked her to go steady before they’d even had their first date. She asked him why he would want to do that before even going out, and he replied, “I just know.”
Gran decided to give Grandad a chance and has always said she loved the way my grandfather looked just like Elvis Presley back them – and could sing and play like him, too.
They dated for a while before Grandad knew Gran was the one. He proposed and they got married in Illinois in 1956 after dating for a short time.
When they got married, they didn’t have very much at all. But they worked hard to support themselves and soon to support two children: my mom, Teresa, and my uncle, Tim.
My grandfather got a job working for TVA, so they all moved to Alabama in 1974. Franklin County was actually home for Grandad; he was born and raised here before moving north for work.
Grandad worked long hours trying to support his family, and Gran worked long hours at home raising my mom and uncle.
And as with any marriage, they had their share of hard times over the years dealing with finances, medical issues, and the day-to-day troubles that arise from time to time.
Fifty-five years is a long time to spend with one person, and in today’s world, it’s pretty rare for a couple to have enough dedication and determination to weather the good times along with the bad ones.
When David and I were going through a pre-engagement class at our church before we got married, the pastor teaching the class reminded us numerous times that love isn’t just a feeling you have when everything is going great. Love is an action. It is something you do – something you actively work on.
Now that I’m married, I’m glad I have a good example, through my grandparents, of what active love is supposed to be: living and loving each other through all life’s ups and downs.
