Marriage Moats-Only Gold

Published: Sat, 08/07/21

Only Gold	Caring for Marriage
Love is the only gold. So says Alfred Lord Tennyson. In an era when the division between those whose wealth is ballooning, and those who cannot pay their rent is increasing, it behooves us to recall what carries worth. I have a soft spot for those movies and books where families feel blessed in spite of their lean circumstances. Little Women, Heidi, and It's a Wonderful Life spring to mind. But the reality is, poverty brings stress. My daughter brought the contents of her apartment here for me to disperse, as she moved to Alaska. The majority of those belongings could not go with her. Just two suitcases and a carryon. Things that are most dear. There were tables and chairs that have assimilated into our household, and items that went for a few dollars to friends. I took loads to the thrift store, and some things were snapped up from a social media site called Pay Nothing. One woman happily accepted the granola bars, and pasta, the peanut butter and soup. As it happens she feeds the homeless twice a month. Just before my father died he offered to subsidize any fabric I wanted for a quilt. He was too frail to accompany me into the store, so he handed me his card and waited in the car. Almost giddy, I chose a pile of silk. It was his last bequest to me. After he was gone, I had the Lone Star to wrap around me. When dad transitioned to heaven he didn't pack even a carry on. But I believe he had everything he needed. Photo by Joe Lindsay www.caringformarriage.org