MILESTONES
On this particular day 32 years ago, a skinny, curly-haired young man got all dressed up in a tux and stood at the end of an aisle waiting for his bride to meet him there. Fortunately for me, she did. That's 32 years, 4 kids, 3 new kids-by-marriage, 4 grandkids, 2 soon-to-be grandkids and a lot of pain and joy down the road.
There were times I didn't think we'd make it 2 years, except for the fact that divorce was never an option that got thrown on the table (never). There were more times that I thought that we'd live "miserably ever after". There were times when I was pretty sure we should have dated longer, had a longer engagement, gotten more pre-marital counseling, gotten a clue, etc...
There were times I thought she was "messed up". There were times I knew I was "messed up". There were times I wondered how it would have been if I had just married __________. There were times I wished she had married _____________.
There were times I absolutely did not like her...at all. There were times I'm pretty sure she hated my guts. I think she may have told me. Times when I had to bite the end of my tongue off because the only things I could see coming out of my mouth were gasoline that would have taken the already incendiary situation to a whole new level of contempt. Times when I thought I should put my hands in my pockets to keep from punching her lights out. (I never would have, but it crossed my mind a time or two)
Times when I was pretty sure she was brain damaged. (maybe from having all those kids) Times when I was the only one keeping this relationship together. Times when she was the only one keeping this relationship together. Times when I am positive that neither of us had any desire to keep this relationship together (and neither did anything to do so). Those must have been the times God stepped in and hung on for us since neither of us could or would.
You must think, "Wow, that marriage sucks!". You'd be wrong. What I just expressed were a few of the brushstrokes on the canvas of our married life. But, don't get so close that all you see are individual brushstrokes. Step back and see the whole picture. It's beautiful. It's a 32-year project. A masterpiece.
Some people just see the brushstrokes. Every brushstroke on a masterpiece is just that...a brushstroke. It's nothing by itself. It's just some paint on a canvas. Meaningless. Ugly. Solitary. But step back and see how it blends with all the other strokes and everything changes. Beauty. That's life. That's marriage.
Thank you God,...thank you Susan, for every brushstroke...but so much more for the masterpiece of 32 years. A beautiful, yet, unfinished work.
There were times I didn't think we'd make it 2 years, except for the fact that divorce was never an option that got thrown on the table (never). There were more times that I thought that we'd live "miserably ever after". There were times when I was pretty sure we should have dated longer, had a longer engagement, gotten more pre-marital counseling, gotten a clue, etc...
There were times I thought she was "messed up". There were times I knew I was "messed up". There were times I wondered how it would have been if I had just married __________. There were times I wished she had married _____________.
There were times I absolutely did not like her...at all. There were times I'm pretty sure she hated my guts. I think she may have told me. Times when I had to bite the end of my tongue off because the only things I could see coming out of my mouth were gasoline that would have taken the already incendiary situation to a whole new level of contempt. Times when I thought I should put my hands in my pockets to keep from punching her lights out. (I never would have, but it crossed my mind a time or two)
Times when I was pretty sure she was brain damaged. (maybe from having all those kids) Times when I was the only one keeping this relationship together. Times when she was the only one keeping this relationship together. Times when I am positive that neither of us had any desire to keep this relationship together (and neither did anything to do so). Those must have been the times God stepped in and hung on for us since neither of us could or would.
You must think, "Wow, that marriage sucks!". You'd be wrong. What I just expressed were a few of the brushstrokes on the canvas of our married life. But, don't get so close that all you see are individual brushstrokes. Step back and see the whole picture. It's beautiful. It's a 32-year project. A masterpiece.
Some people just see the brushstrokes. Every brushstroke on a masterpiece is just that...a brushstroke. It's nothing by itself. It's just some paint on a canvas. Meaningless. Ugly. Solitary. But step back and see how it blends with all the other strokes and everything changes. Beauty. That's life. That's marriage.
Thank you God,...thank you Susan, for every brushstroke...but so much more for the masterpiece of 32 years. A beautiful, yet, unfinished work.
Congratulations on 32 years and sharing your thoughts on marriage.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a typical, committed marriage. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary & congratulations on 32 years of marriage! Thank you for being honest & telling it like it is! Y'all are an inspiration to so many!
ReplyDeleteI have been catching up on your blogs - and there have been several that as I read them I thought oooh - that is my favorite! I have not finished reading the rest of them - but, I cannot imagine thinking there is one that is more my favorite than this one. You are correct it is a beautiful unfinished Masterpiece. I am so very grateful as the mother of one of your married in daughters, that this is now part of her heritage and is a part of my future grandchildren's heritage, that they will be brushstrokes in the Masterpiece!
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