Ten years ago today, Eric and I began a significant and exciting adventure that would forever alter who we were and what we were to become: We got hitched. Tied the knot. Hooked up the ol' ball and chain. Became each others' better halves.
It's interesting and appropriate how so many euphemisms for marriage have to do with connection and and a unifying of two persons. In our experience thus far, marriage has been just that, but not in the negative, prison-like sense that you hear so much about these days. For me, at least, it's been truly liberating to be married to Eric. Not only do I like who
I am better than I did ten years ago, but I like
him even better than I did ten years ago. Being connected to him in such a binding way has taught me so much about relationships, love, respect, and giving of myself for other people. Perhaps it is because he is such a good model of all of those things, but also a lot of the growth and understanding I've experienced can be attributed to simply living day-in and day-out with a person and making things work regardless of their foibles.
Not that Eric has many, really. In fact, I was marveling the other day about how few unpleasant surprises there have been with him. Sure, we've definitely had our disagreements and misunderstandings (we wouldn't be human if we didn't), but for the most part, anything new that I've learned about him over the years has at the very least been intriguing or interesting...definitely not scary. I'm awestruck at the generous gift God has bestowed upon me, and cannot fathom why I would deserve him. I can only praise God's glorious grace!
Someone once said, "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person*." That pretty much sums it up.
So, happy anniversary, Babe. Here's to 4 or 5 more decades!
*Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966
