Today I had the pleasure of attending an anniversary party. I was a great party for a great anniversary. My aunt Connie celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary to my Uncle Manuel. Yep, you heard me. 50 years.

50 years is 17 years longer than I have been alive. It is half a century. It is five decades. It is enough time for three generations to pass. It is, in a few words, a long freaking time.

As I was at my aunt’s house I couldn’t help but wonder how many people nowadays enter into matrimony with their beloved with an expectation that their marriage will last until death. I think more people are of the mindset that they will stay married as long as the other person doesn’t screw up and makes them feel good about the marriage.

I know that views of marriage today are not what they used to be. In the 50′s, when you said “I do” that meant “you did”. There were not a whole lot of “re”marriages. Now it seems like you almost have to go through at least one to get to one that will work for you. It is a little sad really.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that I have had my share of questionable moments in my marriage. A lot can happen in (almost) 13 years. A lot of bad decisions can be made. A lot of nasty thoughts can be hatched. A lot of feelings can be hurt.

I can say, too, that I have never really wanted my marriage to end. I have considered what life would be like as a divorcee. I have considered what it would be like to be on the business end of one of those “it’s not working out” discussions. And I have totally contemplated being on the giving end of that very conversation.

There are no situations though in which I have actually thought about being single again. Am I weird for that? Are there people out there that really give marriages the level of priority it deserves?

Well, I know my aunt and uncle do. To you two, happy anniversary. No, wait, happy 50th anniversary.