Want to know the secret to marital bliss? Just ask Oregon couple Wally and Beth Christianson, who recently celebrated 70 years of marriage and opened up to a local newspaper about what makes love last a lifetime.
The Christiansons were set up by two friends at a Christmas party back in 1942. A few dances led to a few dates, which culminated in a wedding on January 14, 1944. The couple went on to have four children and eight grandchildren, the Corvallis Gazette Times reported.
So what's the secret to their success? "We both had similar backgrounds; both raised on farms. What else is there to say?" 93-year-old Wally told the Times. "We’ve been together since.” He also said that "having mutual interests" is key.
One of those shared interests was traveling. In retirement, the couple moved from Illinois to Oregon, purchased a motor home and traveled everywhere. "We’ve been to all 50 states and Europe," he said.
His wife, 90-year-old Beth, had a more pragmatic view on sustaining long-term marital bliss.
"There is no key," she told the paper. "You have to work it out. Usually, you have more good times than bad.”