By Lewis & Linda McLain (after 60 years), Assisted by AI
Marriage begins in radiance. Most of us can still picture that day—the nervous glances down the aisle, the joy in the faces of family and friends, the music rising as if the world itself paused to bless this covenant. The vows spoken then carry the sound of eternity: promises to love, to honor, to cherish, to remain faithful “for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.” In those moments, dreams were unclouded. We imagined a life woven together in harmony, our future children, our shared home, our journey of growing old side by side.
And in 1966, The Beach Boys gave voice to that very longing with their iconic song Wouldn’t It Be Nice. It was the anthem of courtship dreams—“Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older, if tomorrow could start today?” For many couples, it became the soundtrack of first dates, long drives, and handwritten letters. The melody wasn’t just music; it was the hope of what love could become.
But dreams, no matter how sincere, eventually meet reality.
The Ups and Downs of Real Life
The truth of marriage is not just the wedding day, but every day that follows. Bills pile up, children cry in the night, careers bring stress, health falters, and personalities clash. Disappointments enter quietly: unmet expectations, miscommunications, small slights repeated until they sting more sharply. What once seemed effortless becomes labor. Disillusionments are not one-time events—they reappear, reshaping themselves with each stage of life.
In those moments, the youthful harmony can feel far away. Yet the refrain still calls: Wouldn’t it be nice if we could hold on through this storm, if we could rediscover the song that first drew us together?
The Daily Choice to “Remarry”
To stay married is not simply to refrain from leaving; it is to remake the choice of love every day. To “remarry” daily means that each morning we must decide again:
- I will see you not as my opponent, but as my partner.
- I will treat you not with indifference, but with honor.
- I will choose forgiveness over resentment, conversation over silence, and patience over irritation.
This is not sentimental—this is disciplined love. To remarry each day is to awaken and recall the covenant made in youth, while layering it with the wisdom of years, the scars of hardship, and the humility that says, “I am still learning how to love you well.”
And each morning, as the alarm clock sounds, a faint echo might be heard: Wouldn’t it be nice if today we chose one another all over again?
The Skill Set of Endurance and Renewal
Love that endures is not merely a feeling; it is a skill set. Among the needed skills are:
- Listening with depth. Hearing beneath words to the heart that speaks.
- Conflict navigation. Arguing fairly, forgiving quickly, and refusing to keep score.
- Resilience. Not giving up when seasons are barren, but waiting and tending until spring returns.
- Humor. Finding laughter even when life is heavy, to remind one another that joy is still possible.
- Faith. Believing that the story is bigger than today’s difficulty, and that grace is always available.
- Presence and touch. Recognizing that sometimes love is best expressed without words—by simply sitting together, or by the gentle brush of a hand. Even the smallest touches—fingers brushing while passing a cup, a hand on the shoulder, the quiet weight of leaning against one another, maybe even a loving nudge with a sheepish smile—speak volumes. They are unspoken vows, reaffirmed in silence.
These are the harmonies that keep the melody alive.
More Than Vows: Returning to Courtship
But it is not only the vows we must recall. It is critical to return to the days of courtship—the beginning of the story. Do you remember the first conversation that made your heart race? The nervous excitement of a first date, the surprise of discovering how much you enjoyed being together, the eagerness to call or write, the long walks that felt too short? These are not frivolous memories; they are stored fuel.
And in those days, wasn’t there always music? Songs of longing, of wishing life could hurry up so you could finally build a life together. For some, The Beach Boys’ refrain became the anthem of that season: Wouldn’t it be nice if the world gave us permission to live out our love fully, right now?
But the heart of courtship was not only the words you spoke—it was being together. Sitting in the car long after the date ended, not needing conversation, just soaking in the nearness. The thrill of reaching for a hand and feeling it returned. These small gestures were never small; they were the first language of love. And they remain vital today. Presence itself is a gift. Touch itself is communication, no less meaningful than speech.
Rekindling the spark means asking again: What was it about you that first captured me? And then letting that answer guide new actions today—whether it is planning a small surprise, holding hands more often, or simply looking into your spouse’s eyes with the same wonder as in the beginning.
Love is not only covenant; it is also courtship renewed.
Returning to the Vows
When we “remarry” daily, we do not create new promises; we live into the ones already made. To recall the vows is to re-anchor ourselves:
- “For better or worse” reminds us not to run when the worse comes.
- “For richer or poorer” steadies us when financial strain presses hard.
- “In sickness and in health” calls us to tenderness when bodies fail.
The vows are more than a contract; they are the rhythm section, steadying the music of love when the melody falters.
Practices of Daily Remarriage
- Leave Notes or Send Love Wishes. A small text in the middle of the workday—“Thinking of you”—or a sticky note tucked under the coffee mug can carry more weight than a grand gesture. These whispers of love remind your spouse: I see you. I choose you again today.
- Pray Together While Holding Hands. To clasp hands, look into each other’s eyes, and lift your marriage before God is both humbling and powerful. It says, We are not only for each other—we are with God together.
- Explore “For Better or Worse” Anew. Over time, the phrase deepens. What does “worse” look like in your season—financial struggle, illness, misunderstanding? Naming it together transforms the vow into shared resilience: No matter what comes, we endure side by side.
- Recount Your Blessings. Gratitude is glue. Sit together, list aloud the small and great gifts—your children, your laughter, your home, your faith. Counting blessings makes the heart remember that love has been carried by grace.
- Discuss Your Relationship with God. A marriage anchored in faith has a third strand that does not break. Speak openly about where you see God’s hand in your story, what you are praying for, and how your love can mirror His. In doing so, you are not just married to each other—you are bound within His covenant love.
Conclusion: A Lifelong Renewal
The wedding day was the first “yes.” Life after that requires thousands more. The beauty of remarriage every day is that it transforms endurance into renewal. It says that even in the weariness of years, we can rediscover the spark of the beginning. Love then becomes not only a memory of what was promised, but a living testament of what is still possible.
And so the chorus returns, softer now but deeper: Wouldn’t it be nice if today we made the same choice again, and tomorrow too, and the day after that—until one day we find that the dream we sang about in 1966 has become the life we’ve built together?
And sometimes, the most profound choice is made without a word—just in the quiet joy of being present, hand in hand, heart to heart.
A Closing Prayer
Lord, we thank You for the gift of marriage, for the joy of courtship, for the vows once spoken in trembling voices and still lived today. We ask for the courage to remarry each morning, to choose again the one You have given us.
May we be faithful for better or worse, patient for richer or poorer, tender in sickness and in health. May we learn daily to love, honor, and cherish—until death parts us, and even then, until love is made perfect in eternity.
Teach us also to treasure the quiet gift of presence—the holy silence of simply being together. May we never take for granted the power of touch, even the smallest brush of the hand, as a sacred language of love.
Bless every couple with the grace to return to their first love, to recall the courtship that began their story, to whisper love through notes and prayers, to count their blessings often, and to sing again the refrain of hope: Wouldn’t it be nice if, today, we chose each other anew?
Amen.
Wouldn’t It Be Nice – Beach Boys
Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older?
Then we wouldn’t have to wait so long
And wouldn’t it be nice to live together
In the kind of world where we belong?
You know it’s gonna make it that much better
When we can say goodnight and stay together
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could wake up
In the morning when the day is new?
And after having spent the day together
Hold each other close the whole night through
Happy times together we’ve been spending
I wish that every kiss was never ending
Oh, wouldn’t it be nice?
Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray
It might come true (run, run, we-ooh)
Oh, baby, then there wouldn’t be a single thing we couldn’t do
We could be married (we could be married)
And then we’d be happy (and then we’d be happy)
Oh, wouldn’t it be nice?
You know it seems the more we talk about it
It only makes it worse to live without it
But let’s talk about it
But wouldn’t it be nice?
Goodnight, my baby
Sleep tight, my baby
Goodnight, my baby
Sleep tight, my baby
Goodnight, my baby
Sleep tight, my baby
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Brian Douglas Wilson / Mike E. Love / Tony Asher
Wouldn’t It Be Nice lyrics © Sea Of Tunes Publishing Co., Sea Of Tunes Publishing Co Inc
Let's Talk About It, Lewis! 
This is so sweet and touching. You and Linda did a good job on this.
Many thanks!
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Nicely done!
Sent from my iPhone
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