Congratulations?

I hadn’t thought about it before, but a card that came in the mail today struck me as odd.

“Congratulations!” it said.

I’ve said it to other people on their anniversary – many times. But today, at this moment, it seems off… somehow not quite appropriate. It makes wedding anniversaries sound like some kind of endurance award, doesn’t it? You don’t congratulate someone on their birthday, do you? “Hey, congratulations for living 40 years! Way to tough it out!”

Maybe you’re congratulating me for having the kind of marriage that would last this long, but even that seems a little cynical.

Alright, maybe I’m being a little picky – or I would be if I was completely serious.

Just to be on the safe side, a nice Happy Anniversary will do.