Everyone Should Be So Happy

Today is the anniversary of that splendid day when my Beloved took all leave of her senses and said "I do". We have struggles aplenty and there is much I would change about where we are in our lives, but I can truly and honestly say we have a great marriage. In the thirteen years we have now been married I have only grown to appreciate and love her more.

In most of my jobs I've worked with a cross section of young and old and ethnicities from every walk of life. Time and again I've heard men and women alike complain about their relationships. He does this to me. She said that last night. He/she is such a...

This makes me sad. I can't begin to describe to these people what I have with my Beloved. They just don't get it, or they don't believe me. You can see it in their eyes. That hooded look as they nod their heads while inside their saying, "Yeah sure, buddy, what's the real story?"

The real story is this; there was no lightening bolt of love at first sight or a sign from God. It took two engagements for me to stick with it. There have been tears and yelling. There has been pain. Yet, through it all we have reached toward one another even when we would rather have turned our backs to each other. We have hammered at our differences, sometimes again and again and again, until we have figured out how to communicate in a way that the other will understand. She has shared in my joy even when she couldn't begin to understand the subject of my excitement. I have shared in her pain even when I would rather have boxed it up and hid it from sight so that we could move on.

In short, we have tried. Tried to be the person the other needed and tried to understand when the other wasn't all we would have hoped.

I don't know why many others fail at this while we have enjoyed such success. Perhaps God truly meant us for one another. Perhaps there's something in each of us that others lack. Perhaps it's luck. If you know me I'm sure you know which one I believe...so, thank you, God, for the love of my life. And thank you, Beloved, for giving yourself to me thirteen years ago. I will continue to try to be worthy of the gift you and my Lord have so richly bestowed on me. Happy Anniversary.