Shortly after I woke up Friday morning I called my grandparents to wish them a happy 63rd wedding anniversary. Papa told me that he had turned to Nana that morning and asked, “If you had known what the next 63 years would be like, would you have still made it to the church?”
When it was time for Wally Martell to walk his 16-year-old daughter Mary Theresa down the aisle on that day in 1946, father and daughter were nowhere to be seen. Each minute that passed struck like a thunderbolt. Papa was nervous but he was ready to wait an hour, the customary maximum. But then Nana arrived. It turned out her father’d had some car trouble. She was late, but she was at the church in time to become Mrs. Duncan MacLeod.
So would she have still rushed to the church, if she had known what she was in for?
“Of course,” she said to Papa, with a smile and not a hint of hesitation.
I suppose it’s true that a lot of old married couples don’t express their love the way younger couples do today, and my grandparents are pretty typical. Separate beds and all that. But as different from Nana and Papa as Leen and I may be, I really hope we can have a conversation like that in the winter of our life together, whenever that may be.
Tagged: Cape Breton, Duncan MacLeod, family, genealogy, history, MacLeod
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One Comment
Jordan this brought a tear to my eye :). After everything that Dad and Mom have been through in their 63 years together it is joyful to see the love they have for each other. I wish that for you and Leen .