Jan and I are coming up on 49 years of marriage in just a few weeks. The longevity of our marriage has produced a relationship that is as real as it can get. Being together this long leaves no room for pretense or faking it. Last week a few things took place that humorously reminded me of God’s mercy and what a good life with a good woman looks like.

One morning, I was looking for one of my baseball hats. I was sure Jan had moved it. When I went into the kitchen to ask where she put it, she said, “It’s on your head!”

Later in the same day, we got into our car to take a drive. I leaned over to give Jan a kiss. She agreed and leaned over in my direction to seal the deal, both of us moving in each other’s direction in a full pucker mode. We stretched as far as we could while seat belted in our seats and contorting our bodies to their full extent. The planned kiss stopped just short of the press of our lips. We were just inches apart from each other hovering in midair. When we realized the kiss wasn’t going to happen due to our physical restraints, we started laughing finally releasing our puckered lips before our face muscles started to cramp up.  We called it good, backed out of the garage, and were on our way.

There are other moments of humor not suitable for prime-time that come to mind when two people have lived together for a long time. I chuckled recalling some of those moments as I write these words. I have found that a relationship of friendship and the frequent expression of humor make for the best marriages.

My advice? Marry your best friend and laugh a lot. Those two gifts will help to heal the soul of your relationship and they will go a long way in keeping your love alive.