happily ever after

My daughter is into musicals.  It started with Les Miserables (which you might already know, if you read this blog regularly).  We've moved on to Oklahoma!  Now, We talk about Laurie and Ado Annie just as much as Marius and Cosette.  It seems such a wholesome interest, in general, as long as you don't listen too closely to the words to "Lovely Ladies" or if you are able to talk really loud at just the right time when "Master of the House" is on.

Anyway, it seems something to be encouraged - and I've been thinking of other musicals she might like:  My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I.  And I realize as I'm brainstorming that these aren't that much different than some of the Disney Princess movies.  So much is about falling in love.  We give messages to our kids from an incredibly young age about what it's like to fall in love.  And it continues...adult romantic comedies are mostly about the thrill of and obstacles to falling in love. 

I was talking with my aunt the other day about marriage - she's been married 49 years.  It's no big revelation - our society sure doesn't provide a lot of information or examples to kids and young people about staying together and what that looks like.  We don't glorify or even exemplify the quieter nature of most long term love.  We don't pay as much attention to it, nor does our culture always support it.

The other night when there was a tornado warning at 11:30, I woke up to the siren and woke my husband.  He turned on the news...he loves weather and one of the things I enjoy about him is that he really studies it.  So when he said, "we should really probably get to the basement,"  I believed him.  It's not fun to have to sweep up the sleeping kids and the pets and swiftly wrangle them to the basement when our house has been quiet and sleeping for a few hours.  But with two people it's not so bad.  And once we all got down there, I found it really comforting to know we were all there together.

I've written before about mindfulness-  I think we can extend it to our marriages, too.  Being mindful and appreciative or our partners/spouses doesn't have the excitement and thrill of locking eyes with a stranger on a train.  But the stranger on a train won't be a stranger for long.  He/she will be a regular person.    

One thing I love about my aunt and uncle's marriage is that they both have a great sense of humor.  That's another thing I'd like to recommend in examining our long term loves.  Being able to laugh seems like a diffuser of a lot of conflict.  Being able to laugh at yourself seems like a good way to avoid many problems that can befall both a relationship and just dealing with yourself as an individual. 

To that end - with humor about ourselves and long term relationships, I'm linking to a clip you may have already seen, but it's hilarious.  This is a "musical" for grown ups...Flight of the Conchords:  Business Time.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGOohBytKTU

Enjoy!