Holding hands with my husband of almost 18 years comes naturally. We hold hands all the time. We hold hands when we walk anywhere; we hold hands while watching a movie at home; we hold hands in the car; we hold hands as we fall asleep. It’s not a habit, it’s real. So when my sister told me that her mother- in- law talked about us holding hands, I wanted to know the whole story.

Like I said, we hold hands and that’s what we were doing at my niece’s birthday party. Ok, now would be a good time for me to mention that I believe that God has a sense of humor. But, on with the story...

My sister called me over and told me that her mother-in-law just asked her how long Carlos and I have been married. In response to my sister’s question of ‘why’ her mother-in-law said, “Because no one still holds hands after being married for so long. I think the whole thing is a cover-up and he is cheating on her.” My sister and I had a good chuckle with that. She went to cut the cake, I went back to my husband and held his hand.

That was four years ago at my niece’s first birthday party. She will be five this year. Carlos and I have gone to all of her birthdays since. We have not seen her father since he moved out later that year. Earlier this year he married the woman with whom he had been having an affair. Carlos and I are still holding hands.

"There is hope for the future because God has a sense of humor and we are funny to God."
~Bill Cosby