Happy Anniversary

I never told you how scared I was to walk down the aisle six years ago.  I remember standing out of view behind an ivy laden wall and saying to myself, “What if I don’t do it?  Will he still love me?”

There were two types of fear: physical and emotional.

Why was I wearing heels on that June 14^th?  I never wear heels.  What’s with this dress?  This big, white, heavy dress?

How did I get in this situation, getting married hundreds of thousands of miles away in Paphos, Cyprus?  It felt like a lifetime away from our neat home near Charlotte, NC.

And for sure, we have danced in the risk of each other.  Would you like to dance around the world with me?  -Dave Matthews

I remember looking at a calendar when we decided what day we’d get married.  It was mostly arbitrary.  We wanted to get married after we got over the effects of jet lag.  We wanted to get married soon enough into our trip so that we’d have a decent honeymoon.  June 14th was a national holiday.  Flag Day.  Our day.

 It was a Wednesday.  Who gets married on a Wednesday?  People who have no guests at their wedding.

You cannot hide love, or disguise love, where it will be.  -Danny Madison

Who has no guests at their wedding, anyway?  People who have to hide their love.  

I will go down with this ship. And I won’t put my hands up and surrender. There will be no white flag above my door. I’m in love and always will be.  -Dido

Now, my love, do you know why I was so scared?

I didn’t tell you about my fear.  My racing heart.  My desire to never take those tentative steps down the ancient marble staircase.  I never mentioned how I looked at the spot above your head as you waited for me to approach the altar.  I was scared to look at you.  I was embarrassed of the thoughts I’d been thinking just moments before.  I was scared of slipping.

I didn’t tell you I was terrified because when it was all said and done, I wasn’t scared any longer.

 Being married to you is like being in a three legged race.  We are, by choice, joined together.

We lashed our inside legs together, knowing that such a union may make life harder than if we lived it alone.

Our shared leg means we must travel down the same path.  We have these other legs, though, on the outside, that walk our individual paths.  Sometimes we stumble.  When we fall, we may drag the other down.  Or sometimes we fall on our own.  Sometimes we can help each other up.  Sometimes you have to get up on your own, without your partner’s help.

I am sorry I wasn’t the best wife the first few years.  I gave you the best of me when we were dating.  The moment I had two rings on my finger, I stopped.  I treated the world wonderfully.  I treated you shamefully.  In our three legged race, I was down.  I wouldn’t even let you pick me up.  Remember when you asked me to make a New Year’s Resolution to ‘be nice’?

And I really don’t tell you quite as often as I used to.  So I really want to tell you as I ought to that I need you.  -Danny Madison

You never untied that rope that lashed our shared legs together.  Thank you.

Love.  Forever.  Believe.

I love the way the animals are drawn to you.

When we began dating you showed me what it was like to love a dog.  I can’t imagine life any other way.

They way animals treat you is a reflection of your soul. Your soul must be gorgeous.  I take that back.  It is gorgeous.  Am I worthy?

You are so emotional and courageous.  You tell me how you feel.  I thank you for that.  Remember when we used to while away the hours, in silence, in each others arms?  And then you’d break the silence: “Where did you come from, my sweet love?”

When you touch my weary head, and you tell me everything will be all right.  You say use my body for your bed and my love will keep you warm throughout the night. – Billy Joel

I made it no secret at the beginning of our relationship that I was anti-marriage.  Marriages break.  They confine.  They burden.

I am solidly pro-marriage.  Marriages uplift.  Marriages support.  Marriages grow.  We have grown.

I vow to love you honestly, and that’s not easy this I know.  You can wear my farmer jeans and make my garden grow.  -Danny Madison

Wives don’t usually write letters to husbands on their 6^th anniversary.  It isn’t a milestone.  The traditional gift is candy, iron, or wood.  This is none of that.  But we’re at a definite peak right now and our union means more to me on this day than any other in the past, including our wedding day.

We are one person.  We are two alone.  We are three together.  We are for each other. -Stephen Stills

We ride, side by side.  Cowboys and Angels. -Dustin Lynch