Five Years

fifth anniversary
Credit: Jessica Bush

When you’re 24 and you tell people you’re approaching your second wedding anniversary, they often look at you askance. At least they do in more cosmopolitan areas of the world. This is less likely to happen in the rural spot I’m from. It’s obvious to me what the sophisticated side-eyers are thinking. Too young too young too young. Stupid stupid stupid. I wonder how that will turn out. Everyone’s suspicious. This made me self conscious for a long time. I’m still almost apologetic when telling people how long I’ve been married. But something interesting has been happening more recently.

When you’re 27 and tell people you’ve been married for five years, they look at you in disbelief, try to politely ask how old you are, and then, wistfully, tell you that’s awesome. They say it’s sweet. They are congratulatory.

fifth anniversary
Credit: Jessica Bush

Somewhere between 24 and 27 people freak out less. Maybe it’s that five years is a lengthy enough amount of time for some things to have gone drastically wrong and your marriage to have proven its worth to the world. Maybe it’s that somewhere in their mid-twenties people start thinking about life and how short it is. Maybe they start thinking about how having a partner to deal with the mid-twenties quarter-life crisis might be nice rather than stifling.

At any rate, today is our fifth anniversary. We are 27 years old. We’ve been married long enough for some things to have gone drastically wrong (though thankfully they haven’t), and our marriage has proved its worth to us from 22 on, regardless of what it looked like to the world. I wouldn’t have done a thing differently. We’re a family, whether 6 days in or 60 years.

fifth anniversary
Credit: Jessica Bush

Comments

17 responses to “Five Years”

  1. Happy anniversary. Loved this reflection on how our age and relationships are viewed. xoxo, MJ

    1. Thank you, MJ! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

  2. Sarah Zero Avatar
    Sarah Zero

    Beautiful post, beautiful perspective. ♥︎

    1. Thanks, Sarah! So excited to see you soon!

  3. In five year’s time we might be walking around the zoo with the sun shining down over me & you—there’ll be love in the bodies of the elephants, too! I’ll put my hands over your eyes, but you’ll peak through.

    1. And there’ll be sun sun sun all over our bodies!
      And there’ll be sun sun sun all down our necks!
      And there’ll be sun sun sun all over our faces!
      And there’ll be sun sun sun — so what the heck!

  4. Haha try being 24 and have been married for five years in October. It never fails to get that o.O face. Happy anniversary! You two are so lovely and I’m so glad I got to feature your story on my blog. Enjoy your anniversary weekend!

    1. Wow! You definitely have us beat! I can’t imagine what kind of faces y’all get when you tell people that! That’s awesome. I’m excited to follow along with your next stage, too!

  5. Happy anniversary lovely lady! I’m very happy for you guys.

    1. Thanks so much, Jenn!

  6. Yayyy!! Happy Anniversary!! These are some pretty great pictures as well.

  7. You all are the best. I hope you’re getting settled in your new place!

    1. It is coming along, slowly but surely! Hopefully we can host a shindig soon & you can see it!

  8. Congratulatons and you two are so adorable!
    (side note: I love that word, “askance”)

    1. Thanks, Deb! I love that word, too.

  9. I married at 22 too, so young! But I wouldn’t change it. We celebrate our 10th later this year. Happy anniversary!

    1. Thanks, Julia! Congratulations on 10!

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