Marriage break-up - the end of an era

Long ages past, my wife and I met at Durham university. I have since kept in touch with some of my college friends and she with some of hers. In two cases, one of my friends married one of her friends. Altogether we are one of eight married couples (in two overlapping sets) who keep in touch and meet up from time to time. Most have recently celebrated or are due to celebrate their silver wedding. Until yesterday I was amazed, delighted and comforted that despite the high divorce rate, all eight marriages were still going strong.

Yesterday six of the couples (with two husbands unavoidably absent) spent the day together. We thoroughly enjoyed catching up on each others news - mainly regarding the boyfriend / girlfriend / education / work situations of our assorted offspring. On the way home S passed on the news that two of our friends (part of the 'other' set) had split up. She didn't have many details but apparently they have just grown apart over the years and now decided to go their separate ways.

This is not the first time friends' marriages have come to an end, but it is the first time out of the Durham alumni crowd. I don't really know how I feel. Disappointed certainly, and sorry for the couple in question. I was hoping that writing this post would bring home to me more forcefully what has happened, but it seems a distant event. I don't feel any stronger than disappointed.

When people you meet regularly hit problems, you can sympathise and offer to support and help. When it's people you only see once every few years, you don't quite know what to say or do. In this case, we only heard on the grapevine rather than directly, and I think it may be best to wait and see what their annual Christmas letter tells us. Meanwhile, life goes on I suppose. Thank goodness that we have a faithful friend in Jesus. He is one person at least who I know will never disappoint us.

P.S. When I hear about unexpected marriage break-up I always want to announce to people that S and I have a rock-solid relationship and they shouldn't worry about us. But to say so would lead people to think, "Why is he telling us this? There must be something going on." So I keep quiet.