One of the big stories in the news this week was that the Captain and Tennille are calling it quits after 39 years of marriage. Rumor has it that Toni Tennille, 73, filed for divorce against husband and singing-partner Daryl Dragon, 71.
The couple, who are best known for their hits "Muskrat
Love" and "Love Will Keep Us Together," married in 1975, which
is the same year they released their first album. The couple have continue to
record together over the years, and most recently released the album
"ICON" in 2013.
As stories about the couple hit the news, media outlets and
Facebook were was satiated with comments from
"That's just
stupid. Anything that's lasted 39 years is worth working at" and
"Why? You're old as hell and you've been married for 4 decades. Why
divorce now?" and finally,
"how sad... I don't get how you give up after 40 years?"
I understand some of these statements because of my own divorce. After 40 years with one man (36 of them
married), I, too, felt those same sentiments.
How can a person give up on so much history? A history that will never be matched...one of
growing up together.
Relationships are over by choice only.
The idea that long-term marriages must mean so little that one can still walk away without counseling always baffles me. Marriage
counselors the world over promise that they can heal marriages to be better
than ever.
There have been rumors that the divorce was
financially necessary because the Captain has a parkinsons-type neurological
disease, and health benefits would be more beneficial if he were single. Time will tell.
In the meantime, I wish nothing but the best
for Tennille and Daryl, unless "some sweet talking girl came along,
singing her song........." .
See? I still have my sense of humor. Just hope The Captain and Tennille does, too,
because a sense of humor CAN "Keep us Together."
