And I think I will keep you here,
deep within my heart.
Today…tomorrow…forever…and a day! (From Forever and a Day, by Cindy Heavican)
Poems can tell us a great deal about the feelings associated with time. Forever and a day! What a beautiful thought. When we marry someone, our thoughts are like in this poem. Our dream is that our love and our happiness together will last long after our earthly bodies have withered away. Poems and stories are full of tales of love that have somehow transcended time. Some of these stories, like Romeo and Juliet, are now timeless themselves.
We would all like to think that our love will last forever and a day. We marvel at those people for whom this seems to hold true. We may know a special couple who never seem to tire of each other and who are always loving and caring towards each other. Perhaps your father and mother have been married for sixty some odd years and still seem like newlyweds. Or friends who despite the longevity of their marriage treat each day as though it was the first day of their marriage.
What distinguishes these unique relationships from so many others wherein apathy and even hatred sometimes replace love? The TV, newspapers and crime novels are full of stories where love turned to hate and one spouse killed another. Can we blame time? Does familiarity breed contempt? Do we simply get tired of people like we get tired of the same old song repeatedly heard? I want to say no! Let’s not blame time. If we must find something to blame, perhaps we must start with ourselves. Time can age all things and cause them to decay and rot. Time also allows all things to be renewed, repaired and restored.
What happens if we don’t renew ourselves and our relationships? Of course, they just get older and not better. They may rot from within. Think about yourself today. Are you renewing, repairing or restoring yourself? Or are you just getting older and decaying? We can make a choice. We cannot turn the clock back but we can move forward with it.
We can keep our love young and vital by making an effort each day to give our loved ones the care and nurturing that will lead to Forever and a Day being real and more than just words. The Velveteen Rabbit became real and not just a stuffed fake animal. Make your love real. It takes effort but it is worth it.
Forever and A Day, Always, by Jewel
Aging Capriciously 
Aug 09, 2024 @ 07:22:47
Well said.
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Aug 09, 2024 @ 07:52:42
Thanks Gretchen. Say hi to Robert for me. Hope you guys are enjoying the summer. John
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Aug 09, 2024 @ 10:34:50
We are but tourism is breaking another record. We both work at museums and get to see these people. Robert is still holding steady.
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Aug 09, 2024 @ 15:43:36
Wow, wonder why so many people are traveling. Is it fun working with the tourists? John
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Aug 09, 2024 @ 17:02:17
I like meeting interesting people but it can be overwhelming. Robert had 167 people today and went to bed right after getting home.
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Aug 10, 2024 @ 09:17:56
That’s a whole lot of people. Too much for me. Karen and I are both introverts but probably not extreme. Never the less, I can only take a few people at a time. We are leaving Tuesday for parts east. Joh
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Aug 10, 2024 @ 12:32:47
Your blog this week hit home, as I sign the majority of greeting cards I give to my husband, John, with, “Love Forever & a Day”. I also include the well known verse from Robert Browning to his wife, Elizabeth, which begins, “Grow old along with me”.
To say our relationship has grown stale or weary after 49 years of marriage and a 8 year courtship, would be an understatement. I still look forward to seeing him after a long day, and when he has an off day, it’s the night before I look forward to as we choose a good movie and settle in with a bowl of popcorn!
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Aug 11, 2024 @ 13:29:58
Jeanine, I always liked the quote by Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see.” When I started subbing six or so years ago, the first year I said “Never again.” Could not stand the kids or the lack of discipline. A year went by and I felt like a failure. I asked myself what could I do to make a difference. Then I realized I would never change a high school of 1800 kids. The only thing I could change was myself. I managed to screw my head around about 180 degrees and lo and behold. The kids were wonderful and I have been having fun ever since subbing in the two Casa Grande High schools. Kids come up to me every day and say that they wish I was their full time teacher. Brother John
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