Hearts are sort of my thing. Always have been. My engagement ring is a heart. Did you know that? I sign my letters with a heart. I am passionate in matters of the heart.
I have a strange way of finding tangible little hearts in the most unlikely of places. Ordinary objects can be extraordinary on second glance. I've stumbled upon heart-shaped rocks on our strolls down to the river. I've caught a heart leaf--fresh from its branch--in the palm of my hand. I've picked up heart shells on Atlantic beaches and beyond. Each time I am amazed at my luck and reminded of all the love in my life. For instance...
I've been crushing on the same guy for like 18 years now. Still every bit IN love. The first 10 or so I would pinch myself daily. I didn't trust that I was deserving or capable of so much. Now I know I am and give many thanks for my blessings. My Sweets is not perfect and neither am I, but I like to think we're a lil' bit perfect together. Despite his insistence that I'm color blind {I'm not}, the fact that our style sensibilities can clash, we don't always like the same music or shows, I'm chatty and he's not. Etc. Etc. But he stole my heart one cold winter night in 1992 and gave it back to me 10 fold. It's been bubbling over ever since.
My experience tells me that healthy relationships can flourish with a bit of tender loving care. They are stretchy and durable to a point, but they like respect and compromise and attention paid. Good relationships needn't be easy, but they shouldn't be hard either. My heart breaks not for those who have loved and lost, but for those who've settled for less and never fully known what love can be. There's nothing more sexy, inspiring or comforting all at once. I treasure Tom's and my story. It's a fantastical mix of past, present and future. Of shared adventures, bedtime whispers, grand gestures and simple pleasures.
On top of that we share a son, a daughter, a duty of raising those awesome little people to be awesome big people. Who, above all, know what it is to love and be loved. I'm forever striving to be a better version of me, for them.
I wonder. Could that be why the universe throws so many hearts my way? Because I am able to catch them in my hand, fish them out of sand and water, recognize them in a 5 lb. bag of potatoes? I don't know, but I say keep it coming.
3 comments:
Aw, shucks. I love you too!
beautiful .. love you forever
Very sweet. Love comes in different forms and each has their own story, whether it's the fairy tale kind or not.
Even if your sad because you feel others have "settled" chances are, they do not feel that they have. Who are we to judge which love is worthy and which isn't? All love is beautiful to the person who has it, their story is beautiful too.
We are all just imperfect people loving other imperfect people in an imperfect and unfair world. That's where God comes in. He loves LOVE - no matter what form it takes. Whether it is tied in a neat, pretty bow or whether it is weathered and worn. He has the power to forgive, restore and most of all LOVE all of us regardless of our imperfectness and the only way to please Him is to do the same.
I like these pieces that you are writing that branching out from your usual style. Nice.
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