Life's Lessons, Self Awareness, Self Improvement, Self Inventory

Growing Old Together

I was inspired to write this piece after reading something another writer posted this morning. She is very talented and inspiring.

I’ve been married and divorced twice. Lasting nearly 12 years, the ending of my second marriage broke my heart… completely. I’d planned on growing old with my second wife. Unfortunately…her long term plans didn’t include me…it happens.

At the age of 40, my beautiful wife began to struggle with the inevitable: Growing older. Even though I reminded her daily of how attractive she was, she began to struggle over every line, wrinkle, and grey hair.

Our society teaches us it’s not okay for women to grow older. As a man with two ex-wives [marriages] totaling 20 years, my knowledge level is high with regard to the struggle our world forces upon our women to remain youthful.

I was completely devoted to my second wife and had planned on remaining so for the rest of my life. We’re out there, men who will stay true and honor our wives to the end, always seeing the beauty within every line and wrinkle. Being so deeply in love can easily be compared to having children unless you’ve experienced it, you may never truly understand.

Joseph Shanklin

January 17, 2020

23 thoughts on “Growing Old Together”

  1. Divorce can be very tough, I’ve seen firsthand how it can destroy a family and my mom has been married and divorced three times. I have never married, but I was a single parent until my child became an adult. We live in a very broken world and also a world where worthiness is attached to your age, especially if you are a woman. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

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      1. Joe, there is no need for translation in comments. 🙂 Ok? I speak English very well. Tnx Joe for dropping by. So, maybe the exact time match is sinhronicity. 🙂
        P. S. Bear in mind that things I’ve written in Serbian is pretty damaged in automatic translation.

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    1. Thank you Joyce. In fact…I just walked out of an AA meeting a few minutes ago from The Arid Club, in Lakewood. I’m been sober now for over one year, and I love it!❤️

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  7. Succeeding in a long term relationship is not easy. But just because you have not succeeded in that quest does not mean you have not been a winner in other aspects of your life. And if it is any consolation I am now on my 3rd marriage. 35 years now and still going strong as we are moving through our 70s.The first two marriages lasted less that two years each. So there is always hope.

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