My great-grandparents have been together from the last Seventy-five years, challenging life’s storms and celebrating its joys. Their marriage has been marked by laughter, faith, and resilience. Together, they raised three strong sons, kept going to churches every Sunday and build a strong family filled with love.
My great-grandfather was a World War II veteran and has always lived by the motto, “Work every day or you’ll be shorted one.” Even now, though blind and with his hearing problems, he still tends to his log splitter and feeds the fish in the pond on their 85-acre property.
Nine weeks ago, our world nearly stopped when doctors told my 92-year-old great-grandmother she had only three weeks to live. Signs of renal failure were showing, and her sons were gatheringfor goodbye. Our family turned to prayer like never before. My sister, pregnant at the time, even left her job to take care for her. My great-grandmother’s wish was simple,she wanted to live long enough to meet the baby.
When the girl was born, she was named Magnolia Jean after her great-great-grandmother and everything changed. Seeing and holding that little girl healed her. Soon, she was getting out of bed, cooking breakfast for herself and my great-grandfather, even doing small chores again. She lit up every time my sister brought the baby by. And here she is, still with us nine weeks past the date she was expected to be gone.
This year, she and my great-grandfather celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary. They marked the occasion with lunch at Cracker Barrel, then met me for a photo session on their beloved land. After weeks of illness, she hadn’t felt beautiful. But that day, in her Sunday best, she fluffed her hair, checked her makeup, and smiled like a newlywed.
When I asked her to kiss my great-grandfather for a picture, she just blushed. Eventually, I convinced her to give him a sweet kiss on the cheek, a moment I’ll remember forever.
Their love has grown into a legacy: seven great-grandchildren, eleven great-great-grandchildren, and another on the way. Some of my happiest memories are of fishing at their pond, watching her reel in two catfish at once, and ending the day with ice cream. Other times, I’d sit beside her while she played the organ for church or helped her jar pear preserves.
Capturing these moments through my camera is a gift. They are living proof that true love exists, the kind that lasts through decades, trials, and triumphs. I hope their story inspires others to believe in that kind of love, because I know I do.
