A Good Life

I met a client today who had retired from professional hockey some 30 years ago. He told me he'd played in the NHL for 10 years.  "Were those the best years of your life?" I asked.

He smiled wistfully and said that that he'd had a good life, with many good years throughout.  He paused for a second and said, "The best year of my life was 1971." Of course I asked why.

"1971 was the year I met my bride", he said, smiling towards a picture on the wall.  Directly in front of his desk hung a dated picture of a pretty blonde woman.  The picture seemed like it may have been taken 20 or 30 years ago.  

He went on to tell me that they met 41 years ago and have just celebrated their 40th anniversary.  He said they'd know each other barely a year before they married,  With a chuckle he added, "I guess it turned out ok."

Hearing him talk about his bride with such genuine love and affection after 40 years warmed my heart.  After our meeting he was heading to the golf course to take advantage of a dry November day.  

This gentleman was perhaps in his late sixties, or early seventies.  I left our meeting feeling great admiration for this man, who seems to have figured out a life of love and fulfillment.