Narrative written October 19, 2007; revised May 21, 2011.
The blend of crimson, yellow, pale green, and brown leaves cover the trees that stand over a sparkling ultramarine-blue Badin Lake, in which some of the sky’s beauty reflects on the rippling surface—all this flits into my vision in a millisecond. Then a road replaces the fleeting sight, and then I see more trees as we cross a bridge. As my dad steers us away from Badin Lake, our car bumps over the expansion joint on the bridge and I am knocked out of my reflections.
My family has just left Badin Shores Resort, where my great-uncle Vondale and great-aunt Rose—my grandmother’s sister—just celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. They used the Club House, the insides of which were covered with great, blown-up pictures of Uncle Vondale, Aunt Rose, and their daughter Wendy throughout the years.
Remains of the anniversary cake, modeled after their original wedding cake, are being cleared when we leave, and though the celebration officially ended at 4pm, half an hour later people are still saying their goodbyes, socializing with friends, and congratulating the couple of fifty years.
When we leave, the paper tablecloths have been trashed, although some food dishes remain at the long buffet table and the drink and dessert table. My hard-working grandmother, who took on a major role in planning the event, is packing away decorations.
There were toasts and songs and stories, all dedicated to my aunt and uncle and their undying marriage. Like any marriage, it had its emotional and physical trials, but they held through it, coming out of rough times more bound together each time. Uncle Vondale, when asked how they stayed together for so long, answered, "Well, you don’t leave and you don’t die."
I admire my sweet, generous Aunt Rosie and my bold Uncle Vondale, my youngest brother’s namesake. I would like a marriage like theirs—adventurous, fun, loving, interdependent, and yet not without challenges. I would like to choose the right person and have a long, happy marriage. Who doesn’t want a "happily ever after"?
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He had a Superman cake made by Mom. 
(She can take a few steps on her own, but she’s not walking yet.)
