Carnival Destiny Times Three

This week Mom and I left Grand Turk on the Carnival Destiny. This is my thrid trip on the Destiny. I feel more like crew than visitor. It was very hot this week as well. On the day we left we had two tours and many people in to visit the museum. One young couple seemed interested enough to ask some question concerning hurricanes. That always gets my attention and I was happy to give them more information than they wanted, even an article I found later looking for something else. We saw them again, Zed and Elissa, up on deck as the ship sailed away.

On the last two cruises on the Destiny we have had our own table at dinner. On this Carnival ship the dining room is large, with small tables and a mix of two, four, and six person seating arrangements.

I hate small talk. And I hate small talk with strangers even more. Not that I cant do it. I am in fact very good at it. I just hate it.

Standing outside the dining room waiting for the doors to open I pointed out that Zed and Elissa were in our dining room. “Wouldn't it be great if they were at our table,” I told Mom.

You see this story unfolding, right? With just the right amount of foreshadowing.

We looked all over for our table. I even had to stop and ask one of the waiters. All the way to the back and around the corner; number 587, a small intimate four person booth with two people already seated, Zed and Elissa.

They were married on Saturday in Lexington, Kentucky. This is their honeymoon. Zed comes from a family of Independent Baptists, one of his brothers is a pastor and another is a youth minister. He attended a bible college in preparation for going into the ministry, but met a young lady working at Chick-fil-A and had a change of plans. As Elissa explained it, she wears pants. If you know anything about Independent Baptists, her comment said everything.

You have no idea how great dinners are. Me with a platform to spread my altruistic wisdom of marriage and family relationships. There is no small talk I can assure you.

Last night our dinner conversation focused on not taking your wife for granted. I have lots of experience in this. What I have realized in the last several months is that I really like my wife. She is actually my best friend. And when she is not around my life is not as much fun. I don't tell her this enough. And I don't treat like this enough. But that is because I take her for granted.

In the last couple of years I think my children probably think that all we do is argue. It is a shame that they don't ever get to see your relationship when you are young and first dating. Or during your first week of marriage. Or on your first cruise together. When everything is exciting and new, and you feel like you have your whole world in front of you.

What they don't see is that history; that part of your past that is only shared by you. Your children don't see you as a young couple falling in love. They only see you as the old people who appear to never get along. They don't understand that even if that were true, it is far better than not being together.