This Investment has had a great ROI
February 13, 2024
Two days before my wedding, my father made the last hefty payment for the reception venue. A frugal man, I don’t think he’d ever spent as much money on anything as he did on that one event. He tore the check out from the checkbook, looked at me with his big blue eyes and said,
“Listen to me, I need at least 5 good years on this investment!”
He was only half-joking.
My parents combined have been through 9 divorces. Yes, that many. Given the history, you could probably appreciate the low expectations my dad had for my upcoming nuptials.
Every year after Orlando and I celebrated our 5th anniversary, I’d call my dad and congratulate him on his investment. I’d remind him that he was now receiving interest in the form of grandchildren. Each year he’d laugh and tell me how amazed and pleased he was with the family we’d built together.
But we also struggled through some very difficult years. Years where I wasn’t sure if we’d make it. There are times when the best result for two people is to divorce, and that often takes as much courage as staying together. In our case, we pulled through the tough times and our marriage is stronger than ever. In the process, we’ve learned so much.
A good marriage can feel like a long-term investment in the stock market. There are periods with big gains and periods with big losses, but in the long run, the return nets positive.
Orlando and I drove to Naples for a romantic weekend getaway to celebrate the big 17.
I wish I could have called my dad to congratulate him once again for his investment. I wish he was here to see how far we’ve come, how much we’ve grown, and how much we love each other and our little Five Finger family. (I like to believe he already knows.)
What I did instead was take advantage of the time I had my husband trapped in the car to force him into pinpointing moments of clarity we’ve learned from our marriage so far. (Bonus tip: timing and sequestration helps you get what you want 
)
Every day for the next 17 days, I’ll send you one nugget/lesson/tip we came up with. If you want to receive these tips straight to your inbox, click here to make sure you don’t miss them!
Life isn’t perfect; Relationships aren’t perfect; And we’re only 17 years in, so God knows how much we have to learn … But here we are, sharing what we do know for now, hoping it inspires you to find the sparks of bliss in your relationship.
