Does It Really Matter If You Are Older Or Younger Than Your Spouse?

I had a client meeting in town yesterday, in a location just down the street from the Cambridge Cemetery where my paternal grandparents are buried. This is the grandmother I was searching for when I went to Ireland, so I decided to stop by and say “hello” to the ground in which she is interred. Although I had visited the grave a few years ago with my father, I had no clue where in the cemetery I would find the stone. So I stopped at the main office and inquired. I vaguely remembered my ancestors were located on “Mistletoe Path.” My memory was confirmed. Not only that, but the secretary was happy to print off the original orders for the plot including name, age, cause of death, etc. for both my grandparents.

With documents in hand and a map to guide me, I easily found the spot and took pictures. But here is the interesting part. The headstone has their names and dates but those for my grandmother are all wrong. Her name is inverted and her birth date makes her 14 younger than she really was, and five years younger than her husband! She actually was six years older than him and she died not at the age of 44 as the stone would suggest but at the age of 57!!!

Life moves too quickly to muck up such things… and why would anyone fudge with the dates just to make her appear younger? Oh vanity of vanities. My mother did the same thing with my birth certificate… fudging the years so she appeared to be younger than my father.. which was not true.

I guess they really cared about such things back “in the day.” Do we still care now? Does it really matter if you are older or younger than your spouse?

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oldcontidude
oldcontidude
13 years ago

Sounds like generations of cougars have infiltrated the clan – on both sides !

Cousin K.
Cousin K.
13 years ago

I certainly don’t care… we are what we are! (and if I was 10 years older than my husband, I’d be prancing around like a princess!)

oldcontidude
oldcontidude
13 years ago

And if I were 10 years older than my wife I’d be called a dirty old man; or robbing the cradle – so much for a double standard.

Daffyhill
Daffyhill
13 years ago

I think you meant that mom fudged her birth certificate, not yours. We know how old you are! Do you really think the information was deliberately changed. I can’t imagine that your grandmother gave it any thought. Somethings definitely strange. Cougar is such a predatory term…I just consider myself to have good taste.

oldcontidude
oldcontidude
13 years ago

Daffyhill – Charlie the Tuna has good taste as well. As for “cougar” being a predatory term I think that it has become more of a marketing toll. Search the internet for “cougar cruises” being offered by many of the cruise ship lines. Remember – ALWAYS follow the money and you’ll find your answer. Of course the money trail doesn’t lead to me ’cause I don’t have any – LOL. Sounds like the cruise lines are the predatory ones of late to cash in on this trend. Something to think about for a blog somewhere done the road, CD.