If you need a reason to believe in love, Evan Ho says to look to those who have decades of experience.
It’s really quite lovely to see: an elderly couple holding hands while on a walk. It’s not often that I spot these couples practicing their version of PDA, a sure sign of serene contentment, but when I do, I watch the touching scene for a few extra moments and then pause to reflect.
I think about how lucky they must feel to have each other at this stage of their lives. I imagine they have been through life’s many ups and downs – riding the highs and staring down challenges together, all while raising families, building careers, and pursuing personal interests.
I wonder if they have an entertaining story of when they first met, what drew them together, what has been the glue that has bonded them over so many years. These couples are models of loving relationships. In a modern society overwhelmed by cold technology, it is comforting to know that there are still vital animating forces that keep the warm affection between two human beings.
There is no shortage of theories about what sustains long-term loving relationships. I have a feeling that if I stopped such a couple on a walk and asked for their secret of success, I would hear a reason related to shared values or mutual admiration of elevated virtues. Or maybe I’d be told it’s something as simple as undistracted one-on-one communication, the type that occurs on a long walk, side-by-side, no phones. Whatever is the key, it’s good to know that the possibility of a deep, lasting connection exists for every person. And by “lasting,” I mean decades.