Thank You

This is hard, babe… Used to be, I could just cast my thoughts about you out into the world, and the situation may have been complicated, but the feelings were not. Desire. Need. Longing. Love. Lust. All of them deep, for sure, but easy enough to express…

But now… All of those things — all of them, and each of them stronger than ever before — but now mixed in with all that beautiful complexity of an actual friendship, a living, breathing relationship… not based on daydreams and wishes, but on mutual trust and understanding, on support and companionship. Conversations whose depth are limited only by the limited time we have to spend together…

As far as I'm concerned, this is what strong, lasting love looks like, babe. And if just one or two things were just a bit different…

But I just don't know if I have the words for it, my love. I wanted to write to you today about all the ways I'm grateful to you… you know, in the spirit of the holiday. And, I mean… I could rattle things off all night…

How you see me, how I think you have always done so, even back in the beginning, in the “before-times”. And how I think you're the first person to do so in a really, really long time. And how, once I get over my self consciousness and fear, I feel like I can always just… be me when I'm with you. Nothing has to go in a box on a shelf. My interests, even the ones you might not be super into, you see them, you accept them, and you validate them. Until we started talking more, I can't even remember the last time I'd had that in my life…

Thank you.

The support you give me, your wonderful insights and fantastic advice. And, again… validation. Those walking “therapy sessions”… Gosh. How I feel like I could tell you anything at all, and you would be right there, no judgement, no blame, just… there. To listen, to support. Oh, babe, you make for such an amazing partner. I know we're both dealing with parenting challenges that we could have never foreseen, but it's so much easier to face knowing that we've got each other's back.

Thank you.

The way you've brought me out, reminded me of things that have long brought me joy, but which had maybe gotten lost along the way… music, those camping trips, even just the companionship with our other neighbors. I know some of that is just timing… the kids growing into their teens, and the freedom that follows. But you've given me the reason, and more than a few excuses. I think maybe everyone is in agreement that we may have overdone it a bit with the concerts this summer, but good grief it was fun, wasn't it?

Thank you.

Oh, babe… I could go on. I could probably go on all night. You've brought so much color and light into my life. Thank you. You were so patient with me while I figured out that you weren't just being midwest friendly with me. Thank you. You trust me enough to open up to me when you're stressed or facing difficulties. Thank you. You are just an all-around wonderful human being who makes everyone's lives brighter, and you've somehow decided to shine so much of that light right onto me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Oh, gosh, I love you babydoll. I do. And I am so grateful to you just for choosing to be a part of my life.

Thank you.

I love you, babe. Always.

Yours.