Grandma's wisdom...

Today is my maternal grandparents wedding anniversary. They were married in 1929 (the day this picture was taken) and it lasted 63 years until death parted them; one from illness, the other a broken-heart.

Grandma and grandpa, also known as "Lucy and Pete," were a great influence in my formative years. I especially learned a lot about being a woman from my grandmother, who was a smart, fashionable, opinionated, funny, make-no-excuses, kind of lady. She said what she meant and meant what she said.

While my grandmother was a product of stereotypical gender roles, i.e., wife, mother, grandmother, she embraced it, was the best she could be, and always maintained her voice. She and my grandfather had the best marriage of anyone I've ever known. Not to say they didn't have ups and downs, but ultimately, they treated each other with respect, kindness, appreciation, and love.

This particular lesson came about as she was hurrying to wash out hair coloring before my grandfather came home from work. When I suggested that he wouldn't care, she looked at me in a very calm but definitive manner, and said,

There are things a husband doesn't need to know, things he never needs to see... It's up to you to decide what they are.

At the time, I was too young to really understand the importance of this philosophy. Now, I realize that she was right... Leaving a little mystery can be a healthy thing in any intimate relationship. It's about maintaining the magic. Do you agree? Is there something you never let your significant other see? Something you won't share? How do you keep the magic going? 

EXTRA: Other lesson's from Grandma, Holiday Haste Makes Waste (scroll down in article for 5 easy to use life lessons).

BONUS: Engaged? Check out 6 Easy and Practicle Tips For Planning A Wedding.