Duane's Dartboard

Today is my 35th wedding anniversary. Carol and I were married on a cold winter night in her hometown of Cincinnati.

We met in college and then continued dating when separated by hundreds of miles. Geography couldn’t keep us apart. I remember telling a man next to me on an airplane, “I’m flying home to Colorado from Tennessee where I attend college. My fiancée is from Ohio but she’s a university student in California and currently working as an intern in Florida.”

Now, 35 years later, we live in Kansas City and I’ve taken time to reflect on some of the reasons I love my wife more and more with each passing day.

1. We are so much alike. We share the same priorities—family, faith, friends, finances, etc., etc.
2. We are so different. I’m a marketing guy and she’s an accountant. Need I say more? The fact that I’m from Mars and she’s from Venus makes life much more interesting.
3. We share so many memories. We’ve experienced so much together that I can hardly remember my life B.C. (Before Carol). We’ve lived our lives together “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer.”
4. She has an uncanny intuition. I’ll never understand how she can be so insightful, but when I listen to her I seem to avoid trouble and embarrassment. When I don’t…
5. She has such a loving spirit. She’s more patient, more forgiving and more compassionate than I am. I need that balance in my life. She complements me well.
6. She’s funny and fun. Beneath her innocent facade, my wife is a witty humorist and even a practical joker. For example, she once fed her boyfriend a sandwich made of dog food. I learned it’s never a good idea to give a woman a can of Alpo in a May basket. (Also, I no longer celebrate May Day.)
7. She’s always been there for me. When I’ve endured career transitions she has always been supportive and nurturing. When I was gut-punched with a cancer diagnosis, she was by side for the ensuing battle. She is my ballast in turbulent waters.
8. She has a calming faith. Because her spiritual roots run deep, she is a strong source of strength, encouragement and stability for me, our kids and our extended family.
9. She’s a hard worker, both at home and at the office. She gets things done, and that makes life easier for everyone, especially her grateful husband.
10. She’s mysterious, intriguing and (can I say it?)…sexy. Hate to disappoint you since you’ve read this far, but there are some things between a husband and wife that don’t need to be shared in a blog post.

In case you felt shortchanged by that last item, I’ll share yet another list. Being human, my wife is still a work in progress. Being a husband, I naturally assume it’s my role to help out.

So, Carol, before our next anniversary, I’m hoping you better understand that:

1. The remote control is always yours. Except when I’m in the room. Why watch a mushy Lifetime movie when Cops is on TV?
2. My jokes really are funny. They lose most of their punch, though, when I have to explain the punch lines.
3. Money spent on flowers will only bring fleeting beauty into our home, whereas money spent on clothing for my lovely wife will bring long-lasting beauty into the world.
4. And speaking of clothes, I have trouble answering questions like, “Which dress do you like better?” I think any of the five choices will look good on my gorgeous wife.
5. Unsolicited advice from someone riding shotgun does not make me a better driver. I’m already getting enough feedback from other motorists who offer helpful driving tips via their honking and hand gestures.
6. Radio controls should always be controlled by the driver. Unless, of course, I’m a passenger.
7. The fact that I’m out cold the moment my head touches the pillow is not an insult. Perhaps I’m just eager to begin dreaming of my dreamy wife. I guess you know by now that talking doesn’t help me unwind. It just keeps me awake.

Carol, I love you and I’m fortunate you’re my wife. I’m looking forward to another 35+ years of marriage. Truly, we share an eternal love.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 at 5:30 am and is filed under Life in General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.