To My Bunny on our Day-
March-12-2012 marks thirty years of marriage for my wife and me. I’m quite sure she has probably contemplated murder more than once during this time. She would probably get off scot-free too, once the judge heard what she had to say. However, luckily for me, she has repressed those urges and continued to torture herself with yet another year.
When she reads this, she’ll probably chuckle in that little special way of hers to let me know I’m still not out of the woods on this subject. Yet, that’s not what I wanted to tell you or her.
For those who don’t believe in love at first sight, Becky and I are living proof that it does in fact exist. And I’ve also heard it said that time in a bad marriage crawls by at a slow monotonous and torturous pace. In that I couldn’t tell you because for me, thirty years has flashed by so fast, I can’t believe where all the time went.
I can’t tell you why it works, because Becky and I are the proverbial polar opposites on so many things. Folks may say that’s probably why it works and that would also account for why my future murder might still be in the cards.
When I was younger, I didn’t listen to a lot of the advice given from people older than I was but Becky and I wanted our marriage to work better than many of the dysfunctional relationships around us.
So if there are any young men out there who are contemplating marriage, this middle-aged man has just a few pieces of advice.
1) Once you and your lady have decided to marry— wait one year. Make sure its right. That year will zip by.
2) Never hit your woman, not even in play. There are no exceptions to this rule. Any time you think a playful swat is in order, kiss her instead.
3) Never joke about divorce.
4) Agree that you and she will disagree on many things and you don’t necessarily know the best way to go forward with the problems you are facing.
5) Don’t argue or fight in the bedroom. That room is your sanctuary from the rest of the world.
6) Hold hands and kiss her everyday.
One more thing, according to blustering tough-man attitudes, television, movies, real men don’t say, ‘I love you’ they are dead wrong. ‘I love you’ makes the world go around. And no matter how much they mean to you, they are priceless to her—if you mean it.
So to my dear, sweet, beautiful, wife—in front of the whole world—I love you, and would do it all over again, in a heartbeat.
Let’s renew our lease for another thirty years.
