32 Years

"Well I've seen strong hearts give way
To the burdens of the day
To the weary hands of time
Where fortune is not kind

Honey you're my lucky day
Baby you're my lucky day
When I've lost all the other bets I've made
Honey you're my lucky day"

Bruce Springsteen

"Now the hardness of this world slowly grinds your dreams away
Making a fool's joke out of the promises we make
And what once seemed black and white turns to so many shades of gray
We lose ourselves in work to do, work to do and bills to pay
And it's a ride, ride, ride, and there ain't much cover
With no one running by your side, my blood brother

On through the houses of the dead past those fallen in their tracks
Always moving ahead and never looking back
Now I don't know how I feel, I don't know how I feel tonight
If I've fallen 'neath the wheel, if I've lost or I gained sight
I don't even know why, I don't know why I made this call
Or if any of this matters anymore after all

But the stars are burning bright like some mystery uncovered
I'll keep moving through the dark with you in my heart, my blood brother"

Bruce Springsteen

"Well I got some beer and the highway's free
And I got you and baby you've got me
Hey, hey, hey, what you say, Sherry Darling

Well let there be sunlight, let there be rain
Let the brokenhearted love again
Sherry, we can run with our arms open wide before the tide
To all the girls down at Sacred Heart
And all you operators back in the park
Say hey, hey, hey, what you say, Sherry Darling
Ho, ho, ho, say hey, hey, what you say, Sherry Darling"

Bruce Springsteen

On July 1st my husband and I will celebrate our 32nd wedding anniversary. We had already been together for 5 years before that so you do the math. We've known each other for a bit of time.

I started this post with three Bruce quotes... not a surprise to anyone who knows us as we are kinda BIG Springsteen fans. But Bruce is not best known for songs about that "perfect love" He IS however known for songs about relationships and what happens when the world intervenes. It doesn't always end well in his songs, but I would say he found a life partner in Patti.

I have found mine too. I just got lucky and found him as a teen.

I remember visiting a friend just a few (5-7) years ago and she wondered how we still had a strong relationship after so many years especially since we were so young when we met. Didn't our wants and needs diverge at some point? 

There is no secret ingredient.

We made a commitment borne out of love and passion. 

Yes we have both changed and explored new things and I hope we will continue to do so for as long as we are alive. We each do some things without the other, sometimes we "drag" the other along for the ride, most times really. Because he is "still the one" I want to spend all the time I possibly can with. I never really understood "going out with the girls." I mean I like a few other people:) but if I have free time, I know who I want to be with.  I did go on a trip to England and France for over a week with a good friend, and we had a fabulous time and I would do it again, or travel other places with her,  but I was so desperate to see him when I got back, the trip home seemed never ending.

I have not lived much of my life without him, and I hope not to. In my braver moments I imagine I would be able to continue if he was gone, but it would take an awful lot of dogs:)

Really.

I am thankful for him everyday even when it doesn't seem like it.

I think he is really the best person I know.

I see his flaws, those are some of the things that make me love him more, and a few of the things that frustrate me.

He sees my flaws...and he still loves me. I am always amazed by the idea of that.

He is "devastatingly handsome."

He loves our dogs and goes on many walks with us, and takes care of them with me. 

He pushes me to explore new things, but also lets me slouch on the couch without guilt.

He pretends he will read all of the 10,000 books that I tell him he "must read.", and quietly reads his own books, listens to his own podcasts and sometimes puts them in front of me.

I don't think I drag him down too much, but maybe I do. 

We can tell each other our biggest fears.

He does the dishes most of the time.

He is super smart, and creative.

He is kind.

We laugh at the same jokes, and get enraged by the same injustices. 

I know how lucky I am.

He makes a mean cosmo...

He takes care of me.

I can't really put down into words, how much I love him. It is like this home base in my life. We have been on so many adventures together and also had so many hum drum days together. I love them all.

He has taught me to be kind, to let go of some of my selfishness. He taught me to ask more questions.

He isn't afraid to do arts and crafts, to build things, to fix things, to create, he's taught me to just try it, what is the worst thing can happen? 

He drives 99% of the time.

He is, quite simply, the love of my life.

Happy Anniversary Jeff. I love you.

I made a playlist for him, I think he won't mind sharing it with you. It IS hard after so many years, to make a playlist with songs we haven't included a million times before...just another challenge in life we can face together.  Search smknerr public playlists on spotify "32 Years"

Book Recommendations: "Paddling to Winter" Julie Buckles 2013

Peace Out.

Sheila