I’ll always remember that night!
It was right at the beginning of our relationship, and I felt the need to explain myself, to express myself—and you were there, listening! I wanted to explain to you what my journey had been like, how I’d gotten to where I was! I knew that before I could even consider any kind of future with you, I owed you an explanation. Me—a mom of four kids by three different fathers, who didn’t finish high school, the daughter of a deeply dysfunctional family—what could you possibly see in me? You—the handsome, well-educated, well-schooled man, CEO of your own small business, who works so hard, my boss and ex-brother-in-law, no less!!! We spent hours there; I’ve never seen anyone so patient—you never once interrupted me. You let me release years of buried demons; you watched me cry; you stroked my hair; you cried with me. You asked me how I’d managed to stay strong, and yet I didn’t feel like a strong woman at all! That night will remain etched in my memory for the rest of my life—your arms around me all night long. I remember staying pressed close to you as if we were fused together, and your tears in my hair.... You filled my heart in that moment! I felt safe; I felt loved! You could have saved yourself, but instead, you saved me—you encouraged me, challenged me, and loved me. We naturally became a team. And what a team, too! We’ve weathered trials, and we’ll face many more along the way, but hand in hand, nothing can stand in our way!
As I write these words, we have our little tenant who, after 36 weeks of living together, will soon receive his eviction notice so he can finally meet his mom, dad, and six brothers and sisters! Look at us!
Thank you for being here, my love. I love who we are together; I love our love.