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The Gore-y Divorce

I am about to finish up Week Three of The Process of Moving My Dad From His Condo in Florida to Assisted Living in Texas, and while I have some great material to share about the Old Farts’ Table (and I mean that quite literally) at what I am calling the Haven, I was ready to move on to a lighter topic.

Alas, Tipper and Al Gore are separating (www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/01/AR2010060104013.html) -- as announced in an email (though I did not receive one personally) -- and we must instead confront, it seems, weightier thoughts on The Nature of a 40 Year-Old Marriage.  Some of us are lucky enough to need to think about it; that is, we have been married 39 or so years this month.  But we’ve got to wonder:  Is Nothing Sacred? when after living together 40 years people like Tipper and Al (or people who appear to be like Tipper and Al appeared to be) call it quits.  

I recall a few years ago one of my grown daughters getting very nervous when parents of her friends -- people my age -- started getting divorced “after all they’ve been through.”  She surmised if it could happen to them it could happen to us.  She’s right; it could.  But I doubt it will.  Why not?  I’ll give you my list of reasons, but I’d like to see yours first.  

What are your thoughts about your marriage in the third third (a marriage two years old, or 20, or 40) -- and what makes it work now, or not?  Please share your struggles and your wisdom.