Another Anniversary

It's the 16th anniversary of our wedding day today and my wife is at work. Yeah, sad, isn't it? Her job doesn't recognize holidays very well -- even important ones like our anniversary. So I celebrate alone.

It has been an awesome 16 years. Mine is a wonderful wife. I enjoy, for instance, being a good listener to other people with marital problems because, well, I don't seem to have any of those things going on. "Oh, my wife spends so much money!!" Mine doesn't. I have a hard time getting her to buy things she genuinely needs. "My wife is always nagging me to do things." Mine isn't. She appreciates me for who I am, appreciates what I do for her, and knows not to ask for the impossible. "She's always concerned about her looks." Not my wife. Oh, she is concerned enough to look classy all the time. She takes care of herself. But she isn't the vain type, primping and fussing and hoping she'll be noticed. She's a darling woman, but doesn't make much of it. "My wife doesn't seem to care about my needs at all!" Mine does. She is constantly watching, constantly caring, constantly doing things that make me happy.

We are well suited to each other, my wife and I. She doesn't like to shop and, well, obviously neither do I. She doesn't like to eat out a lot and I'm right there with her. She doesn't have to have "stuff" and neither do I. She doesn't need to be entertained, just like me. I am the worst of all possible sins today -- boring -- but my wife is happy with that. What could be better? On the other hand, she is strong in places I'm not so strong and vice versa, so we complement each other in those areas. She's a better bookkeeper than I, so I tend to leave that stuff in her hands. I am better at technology, so she is happy to leave that up to me. We fit well together.

Sometimes it feels like 16 years together is but a drop in a bucket. The time has gone by quickly. I'm sure we're just getting started. There always seems to be something new. On the other hand, sometimes it feels like an eternity, like it has always been this way. It is comfortable, like that old worn pair of slippers you won't give up. It seems, I'm sure, like a contradiction, but I can live with that.

I love my wife. I'm happy to have been blessed with her. I'm happy to remain married to her for the rest of my days. I believe myself to be a most fortunate husband to have a rare and precious gift like she is to me. I appreciate her and look forward to growing old together with her ... even though that doesn't seem so far off sometimes ...

To my beloved wife -- happy anniversary.