Pledging My Troth

As I write this on this our thirty-sixth anniversary, I think back on this quirky, amazing, sometimes rocky journey, we have been on together.  And I consider how difficulties can seem so distant and definitely surmountable when one is young and in love.  But to “plight” or “pledge” one’s “troth” (derived from the word “truth”), is a deep, lifelong commitment to riding out all the unforeseen events a lifetime can hold.

According to the site shunbridal.com, “The word “plight” here means “pledge”, and it signifies putting someone or something under risk. It is related to the words “plea”, “pledge”, and “please”. The speaker is declaring their willingness to take on risk and responsibility.

I can’t say that we have navigated every difficulty well.  Yet some of the toughest challenges we faced turned out to be the times when we pulled together the most effectively, truly operated as partners.

I know there are marriages that simply weren’t meant to happen in the first place, or evolve in such a way as to be unsustainable, and seem destined for the relationship graveyard.  But there is a lot to be said for persisting through the hardships a long-term relationship is bound to encounter.  Terry is still the person who makes me laugh the hardest—humor being a relationship essential in my estimation—and we both agree we are better people for having been married to each other.  As we face aging, the challenges increase pretty dramatically.  Yet the years of building a solid foundation seem to benefit us at this stage in our lives.

The invitation is open to share two cups of tea anytime at Hope’s Café or anywhere you share companionship and conversation.

May we bearers of hope, the “wait staff” at Hope’s Café, for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate