I was listening to Nicole Zasowski talking about the discipline of celebration. Learning to celebrate not because you were successful at a project or achieved a milestone, but because it’s good and acceptable to celebrate.

I’ve written before about the feasts that the Israelites celebrated to remember the work that God had completed. They could stop working, they could share food and time together. Even weekly. And even with the acknowledgement that things can and are going wrong. It is possible to laugh and cry and not have them cancel each other out.

Some of us are so aware of all the things that could go wrong. And time is really hard to keep track of. And I keep having conversations with people at the hospital who have been together 50 or 60 or 70 years. And I say, “We’re just getting started.”

But I acknowledge that 39 years of marriage, being celebrated by Nancy and me tomorrow, is a long run. I’m grateful that it doesn’t feel long, that it doesn’t feel difficult. I’m grateful that with all the things that could go wrong, the losses and disruptions that could happen, most of the things we’ve worried about have gone fine. The things that have gone wrong we have endured. And we have found remarkable deals in thrift grocery stores and by the curb.

We are planning to see Ben today, our new reminder that the worst doesn’t always happen. And we will tell each other “I love you” and will laugh at least a little and will drive quietly. We will be aware of how quickly things can change. And we will be grateful.

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A couple end of the week notes:

I have a monthly newsletter called “Finding Words.” It’s different than this site, but it’s still me. There’s a new issue this weekend. (Read more and subscribe)

If you’ve read This Is Hard and found it helpful, I’d be grateful for a quick review on Amazon.