Tuesday, July 08, 2008

XIII

The unluckiest number? Not when it signifies thirteen years of happy marriage.

Lynda and I were married on July 8, 1995 in Valdosta, Georgia. As I've noted in this space before, both explicitly and implicitly, it was the best decision that I ever made (or will ever make). And what if it hadn't occurred?

If I had not met Lynda on that September night in 1991, if she had not been mesmerized by my odd hat and suggestive Pylon t-shirt, if I had not talked to her all of that night--even after she was convinced I was spiking her drink (I was NOT), where would I be right now?

Most likely, I would not be blessed with the three wonderful children that I have right now, who are up in their rooms, drawing, reading, sleeping. I would not be living in Ohio . . . almost certainly. And I would not at all resemble the person that you know and read about.

Lynda's acceptance of me and her love gave me the incalculable confidence in myself that helped transform a shy, worried kid into the beginnings of the less-shy, less worrisome man that I am. Her strong vision of herself and of who we are as a couple helped guide me along in all of the decisions and crises that we've had to face in our many years together. Sometimes she's the strong one, sometimes its me. Ultimately, we have been committed to each other and the belief that together, our partnership makes us stronger than we are as individuals.

Where would I be, if not for her? Maybe still in Georgia, possibly teaching . . . if that original life/career goal followed through. I might have met and married someone else, but I can't for the life of me imagine who that person might have been. It certainly would not have been someone else that I knew before Lynda or during the years we shared college experiences. From the moment I first met her, I was compelled by her--and I can't for the life of me explain why or tell you what made it seem right. It just was the thing I knew I had to do and the path that I knew I needed to take. Other paths jutted off in the life we have shared, but the path with her was the straight one, the widest, the most sure. It's had it's ruts, its potholes, its bumps. But it has never been wrong.

As always, these posts are pale imitations of what I imagined them to be in my head. So, Lynda I'm sorry for that. But, since we're both busy with vacation decompressions, writing workshops for kids, jobs, groceries, kids, dinner, lawns, leaking pipes, holes in ceilings, and everything else that defines our very normal life--and since neither of us found time to buy a card . . .

Happy Thirteen Anniversary. I love you deeply and I thank you sincerely for who you are.

2 comments:

Lefty Advocate said...

This made me smile... :)

--Nancy

Anonymous said...

Made me smile too! No card could have even come close to this post. I love you too!

--Lynda