On "Us"

A few days ago, I was thinking about this time 7 years prior.  I have a point to make, but as with most of my stories, it will likely not be quickly made.  They rarely are with me.  Because while the shortest distance between two points may, indeed, be a straight line, it is almost never the most scenic route.  

Seven years ago, J and I were about to get married.  As a matter of fact, I was at a wedding three weeks in a row that summer.  The first was that of a former piano student of mine.  She married the son of a lifelong family friend of my parents.  I played the piano for their wedding.  They are now divorced. 

The following week, J's cousin got married.  It was the first time J and I had been to a wedding together, and we had a good time just being spectators.  J introduced me to some of his family who would not get to make it down for our own wedding the following week.  (We understood they couldn't travel so far two weeks in a row.) They are now divorced.

And seven years ago today was our wedding day...everything was perfect, albeit hot!  We are still together and going strong.  Our life has not been perfect, but it was never because we stopped loving each other.  (It was a big day for weddings...I'm curious to know what percentage of those held that day are still together.). So what makes us different? I guess there has to be some good, strong couples thrown in every now and then to balance out the statistics.  

I've always said I was born in the wrong era.  My soul came from a simpler time when folks cared about each other and not just themselves...when doing for others was not seen as some selfless act, but rather just what was expected without praise it recognition...when tough life lessons were learned without fear of legal action.  In a day of participation trophies and egocentric ism, I am truly thankful to have "found him whom my soul loveth" (Song of Solomon 3:4, KJV). 

Happy anniversary, babe.  I can't wait to see what the next chapter of "us" holds.