What God has joined . . .

Open letter to my precious, loving husband. Today we celebrate 43 years of life together. I can’t imagine life without you. “For better – we’ve had better; for worse – we’ve had worse” and that’s how to live the storybook life.
The first years were like being in a canoe – paddle one side, then the other – not often synchronized, even a few capsized moments, but still managed to stay afloat. We progressed to speedboat status working at jobs, working on house repairs, working on relationship repairs, raising 3 kids, driving them to sports, church activities, and then to driver’s training which meant later, pulling them out of ditches at 2:00 am. In our boat, often skimming the water – but still floating.
For richer, for poorer, in sickness, in health, until … we’ll, we haven’t reached that ‘until’ moment.
Now we’re sort of in a row boat, we need both oars in the water to keep from aimlessly going in circles. You complete me, I complete you – synchronized, together, still afloat.
We joke about the miracle of sticking it out for 43 years, but there’s probably a little bit of miracle in there somewhere. Maybe my dad was right. When he said he tied the knot so tight there’s no way it would work it’s way loose. Or maybe it was our Sunday School teacher who said don’t get the idea that divorce is an option because that opens the door to it. Or maybe we’ve stayed together out of stubbornness or maybe it’s genuine care for each other, acceptance of our polar differences, contentment, seeing the best in each other, supporting each other when our world starts to crumble, appreciation for the little acts of kindness as much as those that are significant. In fact after all these years it must be love. For the next 43 years, let’s repeat the practice.
I love you, Tim. Thank you for loving me back. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ” Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. ”
Thank you for the HUGE bouquet of flowers – 43 to be exact.    I am honored to be your wife.
Love forever,
jane