Christmas came and went as well as New Year’s Day and while they are important days to me, there is one day that came and passed that I didn’t acknowledge that burns in my fingertips to be noticed. That day is my wedding anniversary. Three years ago on the 21st, Joe and I decided to drive to Vegas and ask a midget in a bad wig and too much makeup to integrate our programs together and create a new product – a better product – a life-long product called Marriage.
This past year has been one of the hardest years of my life and subsequently caused quite a bit of strain on our relationship from time to time. Jobs have been hard. The situation with my kids has been hard. Our living quarters have been hard. And when you seriously consider suicide as an option, you know that life in general is hard.
I think it’s safe to say I wouldn’t have made it through this past year without Joe. Even that might be being a bit too generous to my own abilities as I’m leaving out the part that on more than one occasion he’s had to pick me up by my bootstraps and assemble me back together using nothing as a guide except my own distant sighing.
And while I know that I’m more of a partner since the medications have kicked in and I won’t always be having this hard of a time and that there have been times when Joe has needed me in some of the same ways I’ve needed him, I am certainly looking forward to being on equal footing sometime soon.
One night, as we were driving to or fro and discussing one of the many subjects where I feel less than equal and we were getting into that dangerous territory where it’s no longer a discussion and more of a land mine situation where Joe can’t say anything right because my angst is so great, he said, ‘But, Leah, I know all of that – but I love you. I LOVE you. And I don’t think you are hearing me when I say it. I LOVE YOU.’ And something about the way he said it made me stop and pay attention to it. So I thought about it and realized that I wasn’t listening and when I just sat there for a minute and felt his love for me, the rest of everything kind of settled down for a bit and stopped pestering my brain.
Thanks for that, Joe. I feel so incredibly lucky to have you for my partner. Thanks for three years of marriage and five years of being together, that while hard and trying have alternately been wonderful and worth it and mostly have been full of love. Thanks so much for that. I promise to keep trying and keep keeping my body on so I can keep trying. I love you and I’m looking forward to what our 4th year brings to us.
Happy anniversary, you two.
I love you babe. It’s gonna be a great year.
Happy Anniversary! What a great lesson in the art of listening.
Glad you could feel the love. If just for a moment.
thanks for marrying me lady. it’s been a very rich experience whatever way we slice it. here’s to peace, prosperity and happiness — in two thousand and eight — and beyond.
Happy Anniversary Leah!
Awww, happy anniversary Leah and Joe. 2008 will be a much better year.
Awww….Happy Anniversary and thanks for giving me “goose bump” while reading that.
Its so cool you found someone who loves you, flaws and all
AWWWWW. You two are seriously so cute together. Happy Anniversary!
Every year — well, for the last three years anyway — I’ve thought about how wise you were to get married on the solstice. The day of positive change, the day we begin to move from dark to light.
Perfect choice. What smart people you are 🙂
Sometimes you have to listen with your heart…widowed after 39 yrs of living with a wonderful husband..not perfect by any means but wonderful still..just be thankful you and the “right one” found each other…
Happy anniversary. You two deserve each other. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
Happy Anniversary.
Isn’t a wonderful feeling when you finally realize that you are loved flaws and all.
Happy anniversary, LP. Love is a many splendored thing…love covers a multitude of sins…love conquers all…love is the answer…all you need is love…
I’m searching for the right one. I think “love is all you need” fits here. I’m so happy Joe’s there to pour it on you when you need it most.
Happy anniversary. You’re lucky to have That Joe, and he is also lucky to have you. xoxo
happy, happy, happiest anniversary to both of you.
Way too wonderful.
Happy Anniversary to you guys!
May 2008 be a year that continues to be filled with love. May your cup runneth over, dude!
Happy Anniversary. To many, many, many more years of true love for both of you.
Keep listening to this memory.
Love to both of you.
~a
Wow, Congratulations! I am very happy for both of you and it makes me believe that I can make my relationship work as well. Peace.
That was so touching. Much happiness to you both.
I know that I am over a month late with this, but Happy Anniversary! You guys are lucky to have each other.