is it?

"i just need to know if it's possible for two people to stay happy together forever."
-juno.

tonight i was babysitting for two little girls that live down the street from me. they moved here to iowa in november of this last year from sunny california. their family was a perfect one - bill, the dad - debbie, the mom - sarah, the feisty eleven-year-old - and hannah, the nine-year-old with a quick temper but a gentle heart. i look at their family portrait hanging in the hallway and think to myself, "what a perfect family."

perfect. yeah, right. as soon as bill and debbie leave, sarah and hannah get into a sisterly spat. this fight results in sarah going upstairs to watch tv, leaving me downstairs massaging hannah's back while she sits in my lap and sulks. sitting there in my lap, we sit in silence for over five minutes.
finally, she says in a really small voice, "sarah hates me."
i continue rubbing her back as i reply, "of course she doesn't, dear. she loves you. you guys are just going through a phase."
hannah shrugs and says, "mommy and daddy don't like it when we fight. we're not allowed to yell or use bad words. but they use bad words when they fight. that's not fair. they don't even follow their own rules."
shocked, i stop massaging her for a moment, then regain my composure and continue. "things are different when you're older, when you're an adult. that's not fair, but that's just the way things are."
she starts rocking back and forth on my lap, oblivious to my words and even, in a way, my prescence. "when they yell, they talk about getting divorced. and how if that happened, mom would go live with her sister or how dad would go live with his brother."
i hug her closer to me and pause. a beat of silence passes, until i break it. "you know, when i was younger, my parents would fight all the time too."
she interrupts me. "did they get divorced?"
"yeah," i admit, caught offguard at her interruption.
"were you mad?" she demands, craning her head around to look me straight in the eye. "were you mad at your parents?"
"well, yes, i was. i was mad and sad and cried for days and days. i blamed them for ruining my life. but you know what?" i pause. "here i am, a few years later, and i realized it was all for the best. my parents are both much happier this way, and so am i. there's no fighting anymore. there's just happiness."
hannah looks at me thoughtfully, her slightly damp eyes shining bright.
i continue. "not to say your parents will get divorced, hannah. this fighting is probably just a phase."
she looks back down at her lap. "when we were in california, they never fought," she says softly. "we lived in a really big house and there were lots of kids in the neighborhood. they were all really nice and were all my friends. daddy was vice president at his job, and he and mommy never fought. never. it was a good life." she whispers this last part. "almost as good as illinois. illinois was a great life..." she trails off, talking more to herself now than to me. then she suddenly turns around again. "i've lived in four states since i was born," she announces. "everytime we move, it's because of daddy's job. this is the worst move yet. his boss is really mean here, and he doesn't get paid as much as he did in california. our house is smaller. i don't have as many friends. and he and mommy fight a lot." she faces forward again and i envelop her in an even bigger hug. we sit there for a moment, as tears begin to roll down hannah's face. i wipe them on my sleeve as i also rub her back.
but a few minutes later, hannah is fine, and she takes my hand to lead me upstairs so that she can do my hair. as she pulls me up the stairs, my heart goes out to this little girl - who just, like me, wants it to be possible for two people to stay happy together forever.

-----------------------------

so what's the point of this story? well, it's one of the many things, along with

violent affairs
messy divorces
couple break-ups
disappearing relationships

that i've seen lately.

and i'm starting to lose all that faith that i have built up

in love
in relationships
in peace
in happiness

all over again.

and i just need to know:
is it possible for two people to stay happy together forever?

well,
is it?