On July 13th, Tina and I celebrated 40 years of marriage.
Forty years.
It was a beautiful, joy-filled day, full of love, hugs, heartfelt stories, and more memories than I could count. We were overwhelmed in the best way by the kindness and support of our friends and community. It was a day to honour not just a milestone but the journey, the growth, and the love that brought us here.
Then, just ten days later, we posted a photo from a regular date night. It was one of our five “written-in-stone” dates each year. This one happened to be at Stage West, where we’ve had season tickets for over 25 years. That’s when I noticed something interesting…
People started commenting:
“That’s amazing!”
“Wow, after 40 years and you still go on date nights?”
“You guys are such an inspiration.”
Now, I appreciate the kind words, but I have to admit, I was a little puzzled. Maybe even a bit amused.
Because in our minds, date night isn’t some rare, special occasion. It’s one of the reasons we’ve made it to 40 years.
We’ve stayed together this long because we kept choosing each other. Not just in the big, dramatic moments, but in the small, consistent ones.
The Thursday evening dinner.
The matinee show on a rainy Sunday.
The spontaneous drive with no destination, just time to talk, laugh, and reconnect.
Sometimes our date nights were carefully planned. Other times, they were sparked by a craving for ice cream or an open window on a warm evening.
But they always meant something. They were a deliberate act of love.
Date nights weren’t about escaping life.
They were about leaning into it, together.
So if you’re wondering how to make it 40 years, or 10, or even 1, my advice is simple.
Keep dating your partner.
Keep showing up.
Keep choosing love on purpose.
It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to be consistent.
Love doesn’t grow only through grand gestures.
It thrives through the regular watering of time, attention, and intention.
And if you’re lucky, like I am, you’ll look back one day and realize the real adventure was the relationship itself, all along.
