As we walk hand-in-hand into our favorite restaurant after 5 years of marriage, we are amazed how blessed we are. Both of us were married to the love of our lives for over 40 years, but early deaths took our spouses. Although we had families and friends, there were empty places in our hearts. Fortunately, we found that love the second time around can be as sweet as the first.

The vows the second time take on new meanings as we age. In youth we didn't dissect the vows but took them as a singular commitment that we would stay together and work things out forever. After 40 plus years we knew there was so much more to those vows.

Take the vow "in sickness and in health." As we age our sicknesses are commonly greater than a cold or flu. We have been through hospitalizations that have resulted in our health never quite being the same. We will face other medical crises, but our commitments of support will remain. Retirement enables us to have time to help each other heal.

"For richer and for poorer" has also taken on a different meaning. When we were young, we worked to pay the bills and raise our families. Since retirement, we live in comfort but are concerned about rising health care costs and the amount our prescriptions cost. The cost of living is rising quite a bit faster than our pensions. We are grateful that we are not facing the expenses of raising a family.

"For better or worse" is our favorite. We have lived through the worst with the loss of our first spouses, and are eternally grateful for the better we have found in each other. Since we are retired, we are able to spend our days and nights together. We are able to enjoy things we like to do and places we cherish going and do them on our schedule.

We were both married the first time "until death do us part" and that vow has not and will not change. Indeed, love the second time around can be and IS as sweet as the first, and we have again made the commitment "until death do us part."