Fast forward a quarter of a century plus change. We added two young men to the world who are so brilliant and wonderful that they raise the national IQ average. We survived the passing of friends and family members. He became a runner and I got further into community theater than I had been. I gave up a career and stayed home for fifteen years to be the chauffeuse to soccer, baseball, basketball, karate, and music lessons. Oh, and I passed on the acting gene, so there were lots of rehearsals for school plays.
Since we have been married, I have learned to read music, I learned to play piano, and I'm currently taking guitar lessons. I meant to take guitar lessons in 1968 but I forgot. I just finished a basic course in ASL, sign language for the deaf. He studies new computer languages and history and we try not to cry over the political situation together. We give each other space because we know we can. He encourages me to write and I encourage him to run. He's done eight Boston Marathons and two Bay State Marathons. I've done two 5K races and I think I'm done.
As Sister Miriam would say, we are like "chalk and cheese." It hard to picture two people who are less alike. He's tall and thin and I'm short and ...well, not so much. He's athletic. I sit and meditate. He loves the music of Phillip Glass and I would rather eat glass than listen to that. He's all rock and roll from the 60's and I'm more folk music. And that's good. The basic values of honesty and faithfulness, kindness and generosity are there. I had no idea when we married what an incredible father he would be.
So pardon my mush, and yes, I really do realize how incredibly blessed I am (we both are). I'm not sure how I fell into such a happy place, but I'll take it, and try to spread the joy around a little.
Happy Anniversary to my other half. I don't know what I did to deserve you (in fact, I probably don't deserve you) but I am grateful that I got you anyway.