I’m not one to get sappy over Valentine’s Day. Some would argue—including my husband, the holiday is over-commercialized—it’s a way for retailers to sell greetings cards, heart-shaped chocolates and expensive flowers. Personally, I enjoy honoring special occasions and celebrating milestones, because it allows one to express how they feel, and one can reflect on how far they’ve come.
So while we’re on the topic of Love—tis the season, I wanted to shine the spotlight on a couple that’s been married since 1945. Are you doing the math? That’s 74 years! It’ll be 75 years—God willing, August 11, 2020. Not sure about you, but I don’t know anyone that’s been in a romantic relationship, let alone a covenant relationship for nearly 75 years. I was even more excited to find out this couple is from my neck of the woods: Louisville, Mississippi. Their names: Webb & Ida Ball. Mrs. Ball is 93 and Mr. Ball is 94. They met in the Mt Calvary Community when they were 15 years old.
Mr. and Mrs. Ball had 10 children. Ruby Edmond, their third child says that in 2014 the family made the tough decision to move their mom into a nursing home in order for her to receive the proper health assistance that she, her siblings and father couldn’t provide. And even though the couple lives apart, Ms. Edmond said her parents still love each other. Her father visits her mother twice a week—more often during warmer temperatures.
Ms. Edmond said her parents taught her and her siblings the importance of hard work. (They owned a cotton farm and had jobs outside of the home). They also taught them to love everybody. She admits her parents went through hard times but says, “They were good parents, and they still are now.” She also says that her parents’ marriage is the reason she knows how to love her husband and how to work hard, no matter the type of job she’s had over the years.
Throughout my talks with Ms. Edmond and looking at photos from their family gatherings, it makes me wonder in amazement. The tie that binds their family has been unconditional, sacrificial love rooted in their Christian faith. (Ms. Ball’s favorite Bible chapter is Psalm 23). And now their children and their children’s children have the privilege of caring for their aging parents. This family is, in essence, keeping the vow that was made over 74 years ago, ‘in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health; to love you and honor til death do us part.’
On Feb 19th, Ms. Ball will celebrate her 94th birthday, and on April 11th, Mr. Ball will be 95. According to Ms. Edmond, her parents tell her because of their obedience, God is blessing them with this long life.
And if that’s true, we should use our talents, resources, knowledge and time to build each other up, and as a result, our marriages, families, and communities will have a legacy that will last for generations to come even when we’re gone. A legacy of Love.
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Tekella Foster lives in New York City with her husband, Carlos. She is an award-winning journalist with a proven ability to use various media platforms to engage communities in critical social issues and draw attention to stories that go underreported. She has nearly 20 years of experience in production. She presently works as an Editorial Producer at CNN. She is a native of Louisville, MS (Greensboro and New Zion communities). She graduated from Louisville High School in 1994 and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with a minor in Spanish from the University of Southern in 1998. She later earned her Masters in Journalism from Regent University in 2002. Her passion for storytelling stems from the desire to educate and inspire others in the hope of bringing more beauty into the world. She describes herself as having a Mississippi heart with a New York State of Mind.
