must be spring?

because the sap was really running in this story. or should i say in these vignettes? i like that word. somehow makes me think of vineyards, which makes me think of grapes, which makes me think of wine.

i have a soft spot for folks that break up then get back together again. and say that they like each other after getting back together.

i have a softer spot for folks that have been together for over 15 years and still like being in each other's company. why 15 years? i don't know. just seems like a good number.

as of this year, my folks have been together, legally, for about 33 years. they still talk to each other, if only in passing, and i think they might even like each other. i'm pretty proud of them for that; for a while, i thought open hostilities might errupt. no i'm joking. but there was definitely some type of cold war in progress.

as much as i love them, their example has taught me that marriage is kind of an institution where one loses more than one gains. one gains legal sex, and maybe a tax break. one loses, or relinquishes their claim to, respect. and although 2 > 1, respect trumps those others hands down.