July 6, 1954 was the day my grandparents tied the knot and began the rest of their lives together. My grandma was only 16 years old and a mother-to-be, something that I can't imagine going through at that age. But my grandma is a strong woman, and my grandpa was a man who stood by his family. And while they had their fair share of problems, they spent a whole lifetime together: 4 kids, 10 grandkids, and 10 great-grandkids. 59 years worth of life spent side by side.

My grandma doesn't pretend like they were perfect. She doesn't expect us to think that 59 years came easy. No, she's never led me to believe that their lives were anything but hard work and a lot of fight. They fought through judgmental whispers and stares of those against them. They worked through the pain and hardship my grandpa's severe drinking problem caused. They persevered when the lost their jobs, jobs that had supported them for 20-plus years.

How? They never gave up.

My grandma proved herself by standing up and raising her family. My grandpa sought out help and became a sober man. My grandma went back to school and got her bachelor's degree from Ashland University and began a new career. Their lives were never, ever easy. Their challenges were never, ever small.

But they kept believing in themselves. They kept believing in one another.

It's been almost three years since my grandpa passed away. He was 82 and lived a full life alongside my beautiful grandma, who has yet to lose her spunk and young-at-heart attitude. I don't know how she does it, but she never stops living life the way she says God intended for her to live it. I don't know how she is still such a radiant person after losing the love of her life. I don't know how she handles it.

But she does. She does it everyday. She gets out of bed, puts a smile on her face, and never stops being the grandma I know and love. The grandma who supports me. The grandma who helps me. The grandma who keeps on keeping on.

I miss my grandpa; some days more than others, but I always miss him. I always will. But, like my grandma always says, we had a lot of good memories with him, memories that will always remind us of the good times. Memories that live in our hearts and keep us together. Memories I never knew I could cherish so much.

59 years is more than a lifetime; it is the good and the bad days. The endless laughter, the countless tears. It is the long nights, the worst fights and the belief that you can conquer anything if you keep it from conquering you. 59 years is inspiration to me; it is a reminder that life is more than meaningless flings and marriages destined for divorce.

My grandparents have proven to me that the best things in life are the ones that make your heart sing, your eyes water, your cheeks hurt and your bones ache. They've shown me that nothing in life that is ever worth holding on to comes easily, and that I have to keep pushing myself to be the best version of me.

They've taught me that true love is real, and that is more than a number on the calendar or a collection of days. It is eternal, and it last a lifetime.