25 May, 2007

32 And Counting

Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary. We had a very low-key kinda day, from a celebration standpoint. I hosted our church's Quilt Ministry Summer Picnic here at the house at lunchtime. There was an abundance of good food and enough yummy leftovers (Yeah!) to serve him for dinner last evening. While he ate those, (I was still full) we each sipped a glass of wine and reveled in our complete and total contentment as we reflected on the early days and talked about the tomorrows. Milestones, such as anniversaries, are made for just that; aren't they? We leashed up the dogs after that and took our customary neighborhood walk, then concluded the evening on the patio where I cut back the flowers blooming in the planters and we chatted over the week's events. It's been a busy week for me with outside commitments, meetings and decisions, big decisions, to be made. These commitments have taken a lot of my time and energy. My husband has been completely supportive and totally helpful through this process. I am blessed. This scripture passage was read at our wedding in 1975. It may have been read at yours. It seems like I've always known the passage, been familiar with the words... but did I know them? Really? Have I always known what love is?

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

4Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8Love never ends.
These words, divinely dictated; spoken by Paul to the people gathered in Corinth, and repeated at least a billion times since, mean more today precisely because of what they represent to me personally... my perspective and awareness are heightened through eyes opened by God-given knowledge and wisdom granted to an immensely grateful heart. A heart (and mind and soul) that has lived with, and loved, the same wonderful man for all this time. A man who is perfectly happy to be served leftovers when he knows I'm too tired and occupied to cook another meal for dinner, even on our wedding anniversary. A man who has given me stability and freedom at the same time. A man who is always there for me, even when he isn't physically present. A man who understands me when I don't understand myself. A man who recognizes my need for a closet full of fabric to cut up into pieces just so that I can sew them back together again! A man who believes in me. Now I know...
this is love...
32 years and counting!
Life is Good!

17 comments:

bill voigt said...

Congratulations on 32 years! I was pretty young at the time, but I remember your wedding was such a great time, even for a five year old. Here's an old picture I found of me cutting a rug with Grandma.

Paula wish you both all the best, and many, many more!

Kim West said...

Congratulations - happy anniversary.

Sue Seibert said...

How blessed you are...how blessed we both are. I think these men we are married to are the exceptions. How thankful I am to know what that love truly is.

Happy Anniversary...you are two year ahead of us.

Nancy Near Philadelphia said...

Congratulations on this anniversary. We're a dying breed, us long-marrieds, and we should be proud of knowing what commitment and love really are. Joe and I will be 40 years this July; it seems unbelievable.

Paula, the quilter said...

Congratulations! Like Nancy said, we long-marrieds are a dying breed. Such a wonderful post. It made me figure out how long we've been married, CarGuy and I. 35 years next month.

Tanya said...

Best wishes. That's a real accomplishment nowadays and it shows the love and effort of you and your husband and the blessing of God. Congratulations!

Ancestor Collector said...

We are so blessed, aren't we? We got the greatest guys! Much love from us to you. :-)

Shelina said...

Happy Anniversary! I had lunch today with a woman from work, her husband, and another friend from work. There is another woman who also celebrated an anniversary recently. It is a refreshing change to be around so many happily married couples. Wow I just read the comments. There are so many more than I have encountered in my neck of the woods.

Lindah said...

Congratulations! What a sweet tribute to your hubby. It is a pleasure and blessing to read/hear of loving, long term marriages. May you enjoy many many more years together!
--Linda, one of the "dying breed"
at 47 years together.

leigh anna said...

congratulations! what a wonderful blessing your marriage is! love is such an awesome gift, given to us from god!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

YankeeQuilter said...

Happy Anniversary (a bit late!)

My niece read that passage for us at our wedding. We also have it done in calligraphy hanging in our bedroom. It is a favorite.

All the best...

keslyn said...

Congratulations, 32 years is such a long time, but boy don't they fly, well done to you both,
Hope there are many more in front of you.
Kerry

Mama Spark said...

Congratulations!! Ours will be 24 this August. Not many make it as long as us, so I guess we got "all the good ones!". Actually I hope there are a few good ones left for my children.

Libby said...

Happy Anniversary - and many, many more *s*

MARCIE said...

What a sweet tribute to your husband. You are both blessed! Congratulations!

Carole said...

Oh..... Congratulations! Happy 32 wedding anniversary! What a wonderful day you both had! Lovely! Keep well!

CONNIE W said...

Congrats to you both. Many more years of happiness are wished for you as well.