It only takes sunscreen

I have a friend, very dear to me. I would open my home to her in a second. She is strong, resilient, beautiful. She has 3 wonderful daughters. Beautiful, they look just like their mom. They will grow up to be strong women too, all the while loving and kind...just like their momma. I have never met her in person. Yet, through the marvels of modern technology, I can feel her disappointment, hurt, devastation at the unraveling of her marriage. This brave woman has suffered more loss, hurt, and heartache than any other friend I have, yet she perseveres.
She recently got a tattoo. For her, this was an expression of hard work, remembrance of a loved ones, a birthday present to herself.

It got me to thinking....what if life were like a tattoo?

Some of you will be shocked (and may even tune out) to learn that I, myself, am going tonight to get my own tattoo. Mr. Producer has talked about getting a tattoo ever since I have met him. I always swore I N.E.V.E.R. would. Well, like many other things in life, I have learned that I should never say never. I am getting a tattoo of something that means the world to me....you will have to wait for the post tonight or tomorrow to see pics, meaning, etc. but in the meantime, know that I have been thinking of this for a very long time, this is not a rash decision. With that being said, the tattoo artist said that I only need to do 1 thing to my tattoo after it heals to give it longevity....

SUNSCREEN. SUNSCREEN. SUNSCREEN. SUNSCREEN. SUNSCREEN. SUNSCREEN.

After I received my friends email of her troubled marriage (which I pray for all involved the Lord will repair). Mr. Producer and I laid in bed and talked about the increasing frequency with which divorce seems to be making its mark on couples we know. Sadly, it is happening to people whom have been together a long time, 8, 10, 12, 30, 40 years. Sadly, all of them have children. Unfortunately, there is not one race, religious preference, or age group that is immune to this horrible epidemic. As for me and Mr. Producer, we are great, but we are always vigilant!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if life were like a tattoo..........

Wouldn't it be great if there was only 1 thing you needed to do to be certain you were maintaining the longevity of your marriage. Wouldn't it be awesome to know that it would only take a kiss a day for your marriage to last forever. Wouldn't it be easy, perfect, wonderful to know that the answer to marital longevity could be summed up in one word?

Unfortunately, like all the best things in the world, there is nothing, not a one singular word/act/thought that can make your love, marriage, relationships, last forever....in the real world, it takes more than sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen.

To all my friends, family, readers, and loved-ones whom have entered into the battlegrounds of divorce, make sure you have sunscreen close so you don't get burned, know that you use to once love that person and how you BOTH deal with your children sets the stage for how they adjust, and finally, remember always that I will be here, doing the only things I can, sympathizing, listening, praying..... that is my 1 thing...my sunscreen.....my longevity.........praying............