Even though my Dear father passed away 14 years ago and alzheimer's has stolen my mom away from me, I still spend some time on their anniversary thinking about all the family when we were all together. And I thought this little piece is something that both mom and dad would appreciate.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused.
Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt, and a hat and mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and a dish-towel in the other.

It was a time for fixing things...A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, the screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating leftovers, renewing...I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But when my father died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't anymore.

This is true...For marriage...And old cars...And children with bad report cards...And dogs with bad hips....And aging parents...And grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.

Some things we keep...Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special...And so, we keep them close!

Good friends and family are like stars...You don't always see them, but you know they are always there. KEEP THEM CLOSE!

My heart still aches for you mom and dad...I love you...Happy Anniversary.