A 50th anniversary is a great time to remember why you fell in love in the first place — the rush of joy, then the recognition that, over the long run, nobody is perfect.

I am talking not about marriage but about a different kind of love — between the Mets and their fans, who badly need a renewal of their vows to love, honor, cherish. And root, against all odds.

The Mets are going to celebrate, if that is the right word, their 50th anniversary this season. Right about now, their fans need to cling to the desperate love that is engrained in their DNA. This franchise was founded in 1962 on the premise of acceptance and tolerance and love, for the long haul. Never has commitment been more needed.

The Mets are a mess, even with the recent $162 million settlement that allowed ownership to lurch forward in search of financial stability. Then again, the Mets came into this world a mess.