18,250

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Eighteen thousand two hundred fifty. That's how many days you'd have been married if you celebrated your 50th wedding anniversary.

18,250!

Recently I attended a golden wedding anniversary for dear friends and I have to say, they are the happiest married couple I know-- And I'm blessed to know numerous happy couples. But this couple is special.

She was 19, he was 21 when they met for the first time late one night, both pacing the halls of the surgery wing at a local hospital. She was having her appendix removed the following morning and had a bright future ahead of her, including her lavish wedding that was all set to go in three weeks. He was in much more serious condition and was having surgery to remove a particularly nasty form of cancer. His prognosis was grim.

They talked and walked the halls for hours. When they said good night they wished each other luck and that was the end of it.

But it wasn't.

Within days she called off her engagement and cancelled the already planned, very large, wedding. She believed that, if she was spending all her time thinking about a man she'd just met and barely knew, she had no business marrying someone else.

He survived surgery but was wildly sick. Months passed, and with a lot of networking and finagling on her part, eventually she and her parents were invited, through friends of friends of friends, to his parents house for dinner. It had been six months since that night in the hospital.

And their romance began.

Clearly there was a deep connection between the two but countless people, including his doctor, were absolutely adamant that she stay clear of this "dead man" as they repeatedly referred to him. But they had a love that rose above all the negative and believed whatever time they had together was better than none at all. So, with doctors telling them he had less than two years to live, they joyfully married.

From day one, they lived life in the moment-- And continue to live and live and live, never taking a second together for granted. That's how they've been successfully and happily married 18,250 days and counting.

Live in the moment-- It sounds so easy as the words roll off my tongue. But, in actuality, it's not always so easy-- At least it's not for me. But I'm getting better at it.

Maybe it's because I'm on the south side of middle age. Maybe it's because I've lost so many people recently. Maybe it's because I'm learning the playing field of life can change on a dime. Or maybe it's because I know I will never reach 18,250 days of marriage and want as many happy days and years with my husband as I can get.

Time and experience is teaching me that staying present-- in the moment-- is the best way to minimize regrets and appreciate my very content life and happy marriage.

Beloved and I married too old to ever reach the 50th anniversary milestone. Then again, I'd like to think we were old enough and wise enough when we married to appreciate our days together-- every single one of them.

When I spend time with our friends who have navigated through their tremendously successful 50 years of marriage, despite the monumental medical odds being again them, I am reminded to reset my "live in the moment" mindset and focus on being present in my life, my marriage and my relationships with friends and family.

I'm surprised by how emotional and sentimental I've become as a result of the wonderful anniversary party Beloved and I attended but I'm happy to say it reminded us both how much we cherish one another.

Cheers to living in the moment my friends.

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com - Joanna

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