p.s……i love you

That’s what is inscribed in my wedding ring.  It has been there for a long time.  39 years and counting. That beautiful September day is a blur in my memory all these years later.  However, it was even a blur the day after.  There was so much adrenaline, so many BIG emotions, so many dreams coming true and the grand finality of closing the chapter of our lives with our family of origin to create our own.  Becoming ONE is an awesome event.  It was hard to fathom.  But with crystal clarity, I do remember what it felt like to look down at my hand and see that ring, and know what was inscribed.

Marriage is hard.  Today we celebrate.  We are SO very blessed.  With our life together.  With amazing sons!  With the families they are now creating.  With the ability to work and provide for our needs.  With our health.  We know it.  I confess that I have taken much for granted at times.  I know better.  It is not a given.  Nothing ever is.   Each day is a gift.  We are beating the odds.  I am thankful beyond words.

Our hearts were burdened with how we might pay our blessing forward.   God unexpectedly provided us the opportunity to pour into the generations coming behind us with the experiences we’ve gained along our journey.  It helped us realize in startling ways that the good…the bad…the ugly along the paths of our journey together have enabled us to share our story in ways that might help others.  It gave us the perfect platform for remembering and reflection.  It gave us the inspiration to grow and evolve this love of ours.  We are far from experts and will never claim to be.  We were so young when we married and there was so much we didn’t know, didn’t plan for, and didn’t understand when we started our lives together.  In the ensuing years, we have probably done more things wrong than right, but thankfully God has kept us in the palm of His hand and protected us from ourselves to beat those odds in today’s world.  We have discovered that pouring out results in our cups overflowing.  Funny how that works.  When we say yes to God, amazing things happen.

I look at my ring today which I have heard symbolizes the circle of eternal love.  I love that thought!  However, I feel it gives a rather happily ever after connotation to it.   We all know real life is not a fairy tale.  Our rings, mine and his, more importantly represent the reminder for dedication and commitment to our relationship… over and over again.  It is never ending just like the circle that it is.  We have to keep working and growing with each other ad infinitum.  It is an eternal process and one that I look forward to nurturing for many years to come.

To Vens With Love   9.2.77