When I said those words twenty-seven years ago today, I didn't know what the hell I was talking about.
How can you, when you're just twenty-three years old? It's such a leap of faith, marriage is...it's saying "come hell or high water, come arguments about bratty kids and light fixtures or stress about sick kids and college bills, I'm going to stick with you whether you like it or not. And I hope you like it." But you don't know that at the time.
I look back over our years together and I know the only thing that got us through some of them is that I fell head over heels in love with this man, and he felt the same about me.
It's like Jim Croce's song "Time In a Bottle"...you stash those memories and good times in a box or a bottle and on those days when you look at your partner and wonder "Who IS this person?" you just open up that box and pull out some of those memories, and say "Oh, yeah...I remember you. I know you're in there somewhere and I'll just hang on till you come back."
Clinging - I understand that word now.
It feels like we've been on a long journey. I think we've pretty much covered the "better/worse, richer/poorer, sickness/ health" bits, although I'm sure more excitement awaits us, but now it feels like we've worked our way back to where we started...only closer, wiser, more humble and a lot more appreciative.
And it's a good place to be. Knowing what I know now, I'd still say "I do" and I think he would, too.
A few years ago he performed a 'dance' for me to the tune of Grand Funk Railroad's "Some Kind of Wonderful".
Well, I can't top that, so I'm just going to let my old friend Carole explain how I feel - she has a much better voice than I do.
Happy Anniversary, Babe.
I love you, and I'm ready for the next twenty-seven, plus some.
