Have you ever noticed how some people have longer, more intimate relationships with their things than they do with each other? Maybe there’s something to learn. Consider Rachel. She’s 89 years old. In 1964 she bought a Mercury Comet Caliente and named it Chariot. They’ve been together ever since. It’s a relationship that’s lasted 540,000 miles and longer than Rachel’s three marriages. As she says, Chariot has never lied to her, never cheated on her, and is 100% reliable. There you go. The secret to a long relationship. There’s more. Rachel dotes on Chariot, memorializes every birthday, keeps a scrapbook of every invoice, and makes sure Chariot is properly serviced (another secret to a happy relationship?!?!!!). She even has a diagram of all the points where Chariot should be lubed (oh, boy, now my imagination is really running wild) that she gives to the mechanic and she never leaves the car’s side when it’s being serviced. Rachel says she knew she’d keep the car forever and made it a point to buy parts with lifetime guarantees. Now that’s commitment.

I recall my ex-husband once saying he thought I loved my cat more than I loved him. Well, as I pointed out to him, Fluffy never asked if I’d put on a few pounds, never asked when the laundry would be done, and always purred at the slightest touch.

If we treated each other with the same loving devotion that Rachel has treated Chariot, if we were as forgiving, loving and responsive to our sweethearts as our pets are towards us, maybe there would be a lot less divorce in the world.  Something to think about.

Enjoy the video.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZlAdfgzPoc]