Today is my parents, 50th wedding anniversary!!! Wow! They made it to their golden wedding anniversary! I’m super excited, happy for them, and proud to be their son.

My wife and I’ve been married 13 years, and I think that is a pretty big accomplishment. But 50 years? That is nothing short of amazing.

It takes a lot to reach your 50th wedding anniversary

Seeing my parents at 50 years is inspiring to me. While I know, just like our marriage and just like your marriage, it has not been without challenges, but they’ve overcame them.

We live in a time where it is very easy, too easy, to get a divorce and call it quits in marriage. So, when you see a couple who said “we’ll fight, whether happy or sad, good or bad, we’ll fight and stay together,” it is to be applauded.

In honor of my parents’ golden anniversary, their 50th wedding anniversary I’m sharing 50 reasons to celebrate them for making marriage last a lifetime.

1. They are each other’s best and worst friends at times, but they stick it out.
2. They are imperfect people, but perfect people for each other.
3. They’ve grown together, literally. Married at ages 20 and 22, they were still “babies.”
4. They defeated the odds.
5. They’ve created memories that’ll never be forgotten for everyone who knows them.
6. They created a great environment for their kids and grandkids through their marriage.
7. They love each other, even if you can’t tell sometimes from all the fussin’.
8. They give us confidence that our marriage can last 50 years.
9. They’ve seen the absolute worst in one another, but have shown grace through it.
10. They look good together!
11. They made some great looking kids and have some great looking grandkids!
12. They obeyed the Bible (be fruitful and multiply).
13. They rocked afros together in the 70s, and now rock a little bit of gray together in 2014.
14. They’re marriage has spanned nine different presidencies.
15. They’re marriage has survived the fast life of living in New York City and the slow life of living in Richmond, IN.
16. They would fight somebody to protect or defend the other.
17. They love their kids and grandkids.
18. You typically don’t say one name without the other when speaking of them: “Jackie & Donna,” “Ma & Dad,” and “Granny and PawPaw”
19. The pictures and mementos on their basement walls look like they’ve been married 50 years
20. They still attend basketball games as a couple, even though none of us are playing anymore
21. They sometimes just sit and talk, or just sit and watch TV, or just sit and do nothing together.
22. They’re marriage went through eight tracks, betamax, record albums, CDs, and now they both listen to Pandora!
23. They’re marriage survived segregation, went through the Civil Rights Movement, and lasted to see someone with skin the same color of them become President.
24. There is nobody that can talk to them they way they talk to each other…nobody. But nobody can love them they way they love each other…nobody.
25. Their marriage has survived the Vietnam War, Cold War, Persian Gulf War, Iraq War, and their own marital wars.
26. It took my text this morning for them to even remember today was their anniversary!!
27. They are my mom and dad, and I’m proud of them and the fact they’ve been married 50 years.
28. They’ve. Been. Married. For. 50. Years!!!

Okay I know I said 50 reasons to celebrate, but I’m running short on time, so I’ll add more later. In the meantime, I need your help. I want you to share your reasons why being married 50 years should be celebrated.

Imagine you and your spouse on your 50th anniversary, what (or why) will you be celebrating? Please share in the comment section below.