BLUF: Marrying Well.  Most of us have heard the phrase as in “Wow Charlie sure married well.  He doesn’t have two nickels to rub together but she is set to inherit millions.” Well I’m one of those blessed individuals that married well but not in the way you might think. I married a girl who loves the outdoors, specifically boating, and as such we inherited the river.

Tennessee River Sunset

I remember one warm fall Sunday afternoon back when I was about 12 years old. I was standing on our front deck looking across the marina at a man sitting on the front of his houseboat. You know the type with a bench seat across the front? He was sitting there slumped over with his head cupped in his hands. This was an unusual sight for the marina. It’s a happy place where people come to enjoy. I asked my dad what was up and he replied that the man had just sold his boat and was sad. Now that’s odd. I thought that the two happiest days in a boater’s life are the day he buys a boat and the day he sells it. He explained that this was different. This man had dreamed of owning a boat and finally in his latter years he talked his wife into allowing him to buy one. But she hated boating and refused to come down to the boat. So after a few months of boating alone he decided to give up his dream.

I couldn’t help but stare. This was the first time I had seen a grown man cry. His sadness became my sadness. I just couldn’t comprehend it. At 12 years of age my only experiences had been where the whole family couldn’t wait until Friday to head out to the river. The concept of someone being married to a person who did not love to do the same things that he loved to do was beyond me. Needless to say this experience made a lasting impression. Formative might be a better way to describe it.

I was determined not to make the same mistake that he had made. But you know it was an easy mistake to avoid. I simply married my best friend. You know … the girl who despite my geeky personality, skinny stature, and empty wallet stuck it out through the long college years and all those weekends spent canoeing, camping, and four wheeling around the mountains of north Alabama with none of those amenities at hand that the typical girl required like indoor toilets, hot showers, and hair driers. I sure am glad she did too.

I would characterize this as a Boating Lessons Learned. I married well by marrying my best friend and our 30 plus years together on the boat is the proof.

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This post is for informational purposes only. The content herein has a single theme: Mistakes …. or as I call them “Boating Lessons Learned”. While there may be elements of this site that appear to be advice about how to do some task you can be assured that it is not a complete and accurate “how to”. I am partially describing how I did something and what I learned. Do not rely on this information because Mcmanusboatworks.com makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and is not liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.