Shortly after his 90th birthday my uncle asked my aunt for a divorce. It wasn’t like he had met another woman, it wasn’t like he wanted to be free to sow his wild oats (to be honest his oats were older than Medusa) and it’s not like they were arguing over what direction to take in life or how to raise the kids – the kids were, after all in their late 60s. But my uncle just decided he no longer wanted to be married. He’d had enough.
So was I surprised when I read that Al Gore and his wife Tipper were divorcing after 40 years of marriage? Yes, I was. You see I thought that my aunt and uncle were an exception. To be honest I thought he was a little senile. I mean after 50 odd years of marriage I would think there was a certain resignation to accepting the life that is yours, there would be more to be found in what you know and the company that you keep than the unknown and a life of almost certain solitariness.
After Al was confirmed as the Democratic presidential nominee, the kiss said it all
If any political marriage seemed rock solid it was that of Al and Tipper Gore, who, uh, notched up their 40th wedding anniversary last month — celebrated seems hardly appropriate here, in view of the latest news.
Who can forget their passionate kiss after Al was confirmed as the Democratic presidential nominee? Unlike Bill and Hillary Clinton, the couple appeared to have mastered the art of being happily married. Heck, they even wrote a book with the yucky title of Joined at the Heart about navigating the perils of growing old together.
But the prospect of eating TV dinners together into the sunset seems to have jolted them into action. Now, the high-school sweethearts are splitting and many Americans are suffering from separation anxiety.
So is it just society that makes us believe that older people have no desires, no right to a life of freedom and excitement that they cannot possibly find within the confines of their marriage vows?
Or are people like my uncle and Al Gore the exception to the rule?
Top Comments
On 15 June, Joyce said...
"Life as we knew it was over forever and that is a big adjustment to make after being a family unit for 30 years."
I know this is an old post, but it really struck me.
My folks just split up...three weeks ago...after 34 years.
After a lifetime (27 years) of having a stable, loving family, and a very close one at that, I feel like the rug has been pulled out from under me.
The worst part (as though it's not all awful) is that I just got engaged...four weeks ago.
They told me their news the same day mine was announced in the local paper. I love my fiance dearly, and I'm a whole ten years older (wiser?) than my mother was when she was married. But how can they really support me making the biggest commitment of my life, when they haven't gone through with theirs?
I know we're all different people, and I have a very different relationship, but something like this rocks you to the core, shatters your beliefs in life-long love and makes you question everything. From my experience, raw as it is, having parents divorce when you're old enough to understand exactly what's going on is heart-wrenching.
I haven't read all the comments but am I the only one thats thinking good on them? Why should they stay together if they think they will be happier apart, if they think they will have a better relationship as friends?
To me 40 years seems fantastic. Good job Al and Tipper!!