A Forgotten Savings Account Set Up By Mom Made A Couple Reflect On Their Marriage

A successful and happy marriage doesn’t just happen, it needs work. It’s not a walk in the park nor a bed of roses but a lifetime commitment anchored with love, patience, understanding and whatnot. There is no such thing as a ‘perfect formula’ to a lasting marriage either, but a great support system is always one important and helpful ingredient.

Now here is an interesting story that will, somehow change the way we look at marriage. Posted by InspireMore, here’s a glimpse of the realities, highs and lows as well as the bumps and curves of married life that many couples can relate to and learn from.

What is really worth saving?

It was Jocelyn and William’s wedding day. At the end of the wedding celebration, Jocelyn’s mother gave her a newly opened bank account with $1,000 in it. She told her daughter,

“Keep this bank account as a record of your marriage. When something good happens, add some money to it, and write down the happy memory. The more memorable the event is, the more money you put in. I’ve made the first deposit for you today. You and William do the rest. When you look back years from now, you can see how much happiness you two have had.”

Jocelyn and William both thought the bank account was a great idea and looked forward to making their next deposit.
As time went on, they found more and more reasons to add to their account:

• $100– our first anniversary
• $300– Jocelyn got a raise
• $2,000– we’re pregnant!
• $500– William got promoted

…the list went on, and the bank account grew.

But, as years passed, the frequency of these deposits slowed down. Jocelyn and William started to fight more and more, until they stopped talking. Their wedding day seemed like a distant memory.

One day, Jocelyn told her mother that she and William had agreed to a divorce. She was surprised when her mom’s response was cavalier:

“Do whatever you want, if you really can’t stand each other.” she said. “But, before you get the divorce, take all of the money out of the savings account I gave you on your wedding day. You shouldn’t keep any record of such a poor marriage.”

So Jocelyn went to the bank, planning to take the money and cancel the account. While she waited in line, Jocelyn looked over the account’s records. As she read over each line, the joyful memories from her marriage to William flooded her mind. Her eyes filled with tears, and she left the bank without the money and without cancelling the account.

When she got home, she told William to take the money from that savings account for himself before they divorced.

The next day, William told Jocelyn to look at the account once more. In it, she found a new deposit of $5,000. Next to it, a description:

“This is for the day I realized how much I’ve loved you throughout the years. How much happiness you’ve brought me.”

Jocelyn and William stayed together, and the bank account grew with many more deposits and happy memories over the years.

Truly, ‘The better comes after the worse’ like how this couple chose to save the best and brave the worst moments in life together, especially at a time when giving up seems easier. Now that is one hard-earned lesson far more important than money.