My husband

     I'm going to brag for a minute. Just a little. I have the very best husband in the world. I can say that because he's my husband and to me he's the best. I wouldn't have any other.( I know, you all hope not) My husband has had to put up with a lot. God knew I would need a great listener. He knew I would need a man with a lot of patience, grace, kindness. He knew I would need a man who could see past the protective armor I wore so many years of our marriage. My husband is gentle, he is a wonderful father and a loving husband. He has forgiven me so many times, when hurtful things flew out of my mouth at him. I have not always appreciated him. I used to think if he would just stop doing this or stop doing that, I would be happy. I was wrong. I was the one that needed to stop doing some things, namely finding all his faults. I used to think that I  wasn't cut out for marriage, too much work, too much talking things over, too many disagreements, him not being perfect in every single way.
     I will admit, it took me a long time to have my " aha moment", I still need to have them on a regular basis. My husband is not perfect, but he's perfect for me. He doesn't do everything the way I want him to, but in a way I respect that because he doesn't need another mother. He isn't Mr. Romance, but I'm not Mrs. Romance either. We are a simple couple. Once we figured out that we could just be who we were together and not compare our relationship to others, we began to find our groove. I don't need chocolate's on Valentines' day to know I am loved by my man,( but honey if you decided to go on and show your love that way, get me See's Candy, the peppermint patties and cashew brittle.) Anyways, as I was saying I don't really need those things...
     I used to look for "proof of love", based on the world's ideas, commercials, movies, everyone else. When I  looked at love that way then I  never really felt loved enough, because that view of love was not true love. I became dissallusioned  looking for the commercial expression of it. When I closed my eyes to the allusion, and opened them to the man I love. I began to see what "his expression of love," looked like. I realized that "he" was the gift to me, and with that realization I was able to then see all the ways he expressed his love for  me on a daily basis. Gratitude fills my heart now instead of disappointment, my disappointment was there because of faulty, unrealistic expectations. It takes both of us to have a thriving marriage. It can't be all him or me. Learning that and taking ownership of that fact has really helped me mature as a wife.
     I have a good man. I love you Malcolm. Forgive me for the times I have taken you for granted, or made you feel less than. You are the one for me. Thank you for ten hard- working, love- filled, worth-it years.