It's the New Year, so ads for anti-aging and weight loss are hot and heavy on social media. If I had a dollar for the number of times I've seen the ad for that Keto gummy that singer Kelly Clarkson supposedly used to lose weight (not likely), I'd be able to buy a new smartphone.

But I digress. While age is just a number, longevity is a rare prize. While it is some parts genetic and some parts lifestyle, a huge part of living a long life is having love and purpose that fuels that life. The beauty of a long and fulfilled life is the subject of this first Feel Good Friday of 2024.

New Year's Day is special for a lot of people but especially so for a couple celebrating 80 years of marriage together. 

Andrew and Bertha Kowalczyk were married in 1944. They had six children together, along with 31 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The Fenton couple, now aged 103 and 102 respectively, celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary on Monday with friends and family.

Length of years is one thing. Longevity in marriage, especially a first-time marriage, is quite remarkable. You can see the power of this in three generations of family who not only love, respect, and care for their matriarch and patriarch, but who are excited to come together to celebrate this milestone. 

As storied as the Kowalczyks lengthy marriage is, the tale of their union is also one for the books. The Kowalczyks' son David gave a detailed account to a local blogger:

While attending the University of New Hampshire in 1942, Andrew Kowalczyk, now 103, and Bertha "Bunny" Burnham, 102, were randomly paired up during a dance. Little did they know, but pulling the number 23 from a raffle would turn out to be their own life lottery win. [...]

Andrew and Bertha's son, Dave Kowalczyk, tells CafeMom his mom was a freshman and his dad a senior in September 1942 when they met at a dorm dance. The couple began getting to know each other and knew there was something special. Bertha accompanied Andrew to his military ball in the fall of 1942, and she took him home to meet her parents that spring.

"In May of 1943 Bertha brought Andrew to her home in Bristol, New Hampshire, for the weekend. Bertha was impressed at how he played with her sister's infant. This was a very important test for Bertha because she wanted to have many children," Dave explained.

Bunny was a wise young woman, and apparently this test paid off. The blessing of their large family hinged on this moment, and Andrew met it. That sealed the deal for Bunny.

Love couldn't wait, though. "Bertha wanted to get married on New Year's Day because she thought this would be a great way to start off the year," Dave says.

The couple married in a small ceremony in front of 50 close family and friends on a frigid New Year's Day, with a reception at Bertha's mother's home following the wedding. Bertha, majoring in home economics, made her wedding dress and carried white roses. The couple dined on small sandwiches and a tiered fruit cake.

How many couples spend tens of thousands on the wedding of the century, only to divorce five years later? Andrew and Bunny's simple ceremony, blessed by their community, is more memorable and meaningful because they are still together eight decades later.

But there's a twist: Andrew Kowalcyzk had to immediately report for duty. There was a war going on, after all.

"My father had to take leave, and he arrived a couple hours before the wedding took place. And he had gotten leave from his officer, and he said he had to be back on Jan. 1. but he said, 'Well, I'm getting married.' And he said, 'Well, we'll make it Jan. 3.'"

The rest, is true history. Andrew and Bunny Kowalcyzk's lovely celebration was held at Cape Albeon Lakeside Retirement Living, where the couple now lives. The video below is a sweet news segment highlighting their story.

We should all be so blessed to know not only length of years but a rich legacy of love, commitment, and family.