By Chris Cosci

Today, October 31, 2001, my parents celebrate their 32nd wedding anniversary. Thirty-two doesn't exactly stand out among milestone anniversaries. Based on the traditional gift list, this falls between the pearl anniversary (30) and the coral anniversary (35). However, for my parents, this anniversary qualifies as a milestone.

Over the past 32 years, their home has also been home to two sons, one daughter, a niece, and a foreign exchange student from Mexico. Now, both sons have places of their own. The niece is living elsewhere. And the foreign exchange student, despite multiple stints as a resident of my parents' house, is on his own again.

As of this past August, the daughter - the youngest child - has moved away to college. Although she will return home from college in the summer and during holidays, my parents are beginning their first year together as the only permanent residents of their home.

After thirty-two years, they no longer have to make dinner for the children. They no longer have to yell at anybody to clean up their mess. They no longer have to wait up at night for somebody to come home from a late-night outing. And while this may seem great, there is the other side of the coin. There's nobody to make dinner for, nobody to make clean up their mess, and nobody to wait up for.

I realize that thirty-two years is far from the record, but my parents have reached the stage where they make married life seem easy. I wouldn't say that they fit the concept of the blissful couple. My father does things that drive my mother crazy. My mother does things that drive my father crazy. They have their fair share of disagreements and arguments. However, this makes them more real. They are not one of those fake, seemingly perfect couples who go around saying, "we've been together for so many years, and we never had a fight."

I think people who are together for so long and never argue are probably leading unexciting lives. If you agree on everything, it would be like being married to yourself. It's the differences that add (as the experts say) a little spice to the relationship. This correlates, in a way, with the opposites-attract theory. For the record, I am not saying that people should look for their polar opposites. Instead, I feel couples are better when they share common interests, but have some minor differences.

My parents still do things together. They go out to dinner together, they go to the movies together (despite my father's general distaste for movie theaters), and they go on vacation together.

They also did a great job raising three successful children, making sure none of us fell into some of the traps they fell in. Despite my mother's habit, my siblings and I are all non-smokers. And despite my father's ability, none of us ever decided to learn to play the accordion.

I realize that none of these features are unique to my parents. The truth is, I'm starting to see my parents as more that just my parents. My parents possess all the qualities of couples at any stage of a relationship. They still make each other laugh. They still call each other whenever one of them is away. And at the end of the day, they still go to sleep together.

When you're a kid, you see your parents as just parents: A mother and father who are there to raise you, feed you, and give you shelter. Many times, you may have felt like they were put on Earth for the sole purpose of making your life miserable. It's not until you grow up and move out that you realize that there is more to your parents than raising a family.

My parents are a couple. A couple who have figured out many of the secrets of a successful relationship. While children rarely think their parents know anything about relationships, the truth is, they know a heck of a lot more than we do. Relationships are very complex. And after thirty-two years, my parents make it look easy.

So, you'll excuse me if I turn a little sentimental or sappy. I have a great deal of respect for my parents. I love them both and I just wanted to use this space to say that after all these years, I think I've finally figured it out. It may be their parenting that made me who I am today, but it's the relationship they share with each other that helps me realize what life has to offer in the long run. Mom. Dad. Happy anniversary.