Love and Marriage Article
Love and Marriage Cinderella Style

by Dr. Charles D. Schmitz and Dr. Elizabeth A. Schmitz

Valentine’s Day is always a good day to reflect on a lifetime of love. In our case, our love affair with each other has lasted some 50 years. Can you imagine – over four decades of Valentine’s Days with one person! And we can tell you this – we have interviewed many couples over the years whose marriage longevity has surpassed ours, dwarfed us – often extending into over six decades of life together.

We remember February 14, 1966 so well. Charley proposed to Liz and then we went dancing until the wee hours of the morning to the sounds of Count Basie. It was so much fun to discover love and to be in love. The Count sealed the deal with his “hold on tight to the one you love” music! What a night! What four decades of love it has been. And if you haven’t grooved to the sounds of the Count, you should do it today! His albums are everywhere and easy to purchase. He was the conductor of the quintessential American jazz orchestra. Getting his autograph that night was wonderful! In fact, we still remember to this day his words after he did so – “Hey, man, can I borrow this pen to sign autographs for other’s? “Of course, “Charley said. The Count passed on but the memories of him lives on every Valentine’s Day.

Ever since Charley proposed to Liz on Valentine’s Day in 1966, our lives together have been a continuing celebration of this important anniversary of love.

On February 14, 1977 Charley passed the final oral examination over his doctoral dissertation. Dr. Charles D. Schmitz came into being that day. And three years later, Liz passed her final oral examination over her dissertation on Valentine’s Day as well, and another Dr. Schmitz was born! Dr. and Dr. Schmitz – “the marriage doctors.”

By now, you have figured out that Valentine’s Day is an important day in the lives of Charley and Liz. You figured right! It gets better.

On Valentine’s Day, 1982 we began the research project about successful marriage that led to the recent publication of our new book entitled, Golden Anniversaries: The Seven Secrets of Successful Marriage. And as you have probably guessed, we finished the final product on Valentine’s Day, 2007.

So here we are – Valentine’s Day, 2008 and tonight we will do a book signing for our new book before and after the romantic concert by Michael Feinstein at the Touhill Performing Arts Center in St. Louis. Some 1400 people are expected. We are excited about sharing the gift of love on Valentine’s Day 2008 with so many people.

So here we are – full circle. A Valentine’s Day filled with celebration and memories – with love and hope – filled with friends like you.

On this Valentine’s Day 2008 we thank all of you for your support, for your encouragement, and for your love. You have enriched our lives in so many ways. We are glad to celebrate our labor of love with you. We hope you will celebrate your Golden Anniversaries together like we have.

Thanks for the memories. Thanks for your support. Thanks for being in love.

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