When a couple in Michigan got married a decade ago, they received a unique gift, which they didn’t end up opening straight away. They considered it contained the secret to a happy marriage. Nine years later, they finally decided to open it, and came to a wonderful understanding.
Kathy and Brandon Gunn of Northville have been married since 2007. One day, in 2016, the couple was recalling some of their wedding gifts.
Kathy realized the gift that seemed to be most meaningful had yet to be opened.
Credit: ©Facebook | Lovewhatreallymatters
On Love What Matters, Kathy wrote that the gift has an envelope that reads, “Do not open until your 1st disagreement.” It was from her great-aunt Alison.
Having been married for almost a decade, Kathy admits that they had already experienced lots of disagreements, “arguments and slammed doors throughout our 9 years.” Despite all this, they still had yet to open aunt Alison’s peculiar box.
“I honestly think that we both avoided turning to the box, because it would have symbolized our failure,” Kathy said.
She added that they thought the box contained the “key to saving a marriage,” since her great-aunt has been married for almost half a century.
Credit: ©Facebook | Lovewhatreallymatters
For nine years, the box was in the closet collecting dust, until they decided to open it in May 2016. “Today, we decided to open that box, because I finally had a realization,” Kathy said.
In the box were two cash gifts amounting to $200 for each of them, two wine glasses, bath supplies, and two notes.
The note to Kathy read, “Go get a pizza, shrimp, or something you both like. Get a bath ready.”
Brandon’s note read, “Go get flowers and a bottle of wine.”
Credit: ©Facebook | Brandon Gunn
Kathy said, “I realized that the tools for creating and maintaining a strong, healthy marriage were never within that box—they were within us.”
When her great-aunt was told that they had finally opened her box, she “thought it was amazing,” Kathy told ABC News.
“She also thought it was a great story, but she thought we were crazy. She knew it was a special gift, but didn’t realize just how special it became to us,” Kathy added.
Credit: ©Facebook | Lovewhatreallymatters
Kathy wrote on Facebook: “That box went beyond what I believe my Great Aunt had intended. It was by far the greatest wedding gift of all.”
Credit: ©Facebook | Lovewhatreallymatters
“It somehow taught us about tolerance, understanding, compromise and patience,” Kathy admits. “Our marriage strengthened as we became best friends, partners, and teammates.”
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