Celebrating Anniversaries

Yesterday was our anniversary.  For some, these are stellar celebrations.  Big tents in friend-filled backyards.  Exotic meals.  Trips to distant lands.  For Kellie and I, we have rarely had such swarays to mark our day.

Take yesterday for example.  Sharing a simple breakfast gave way to little errands around the house.  A nice lunch at a classic deli and closing the evening watching a flick in our basement.  For us – pretty typical.

But even though the day wouldn’t top any New York Times list, there are elements of our anniversary that capture the importance of remembering special events in our lives.

• We did something different.  The deli I mentioned was new for me.  Set in a classic part of town that seems the same today as 60 years ago, it provided a time for us to remember our past years together.

• We remember the past.  Every year, we laugh about our 5th anniversary being spent in a laundromat because we didn’t have enough money to fix our washing machine.  We think about our ceremony 24 years ago in the 110 degree Arizona heat and the beautiful music my Father provided for the occasion.

• We hit a “reset” button on our relationship.  Our anniversary provides us a chance to remember why we decided to commit, to take the plunge, to cross the line.  Phrases like, “… because I love you” and “… can’t imagine life without you” pour from our lips easier on such days than others and we sense a here-we-go-again reality (in a positive way).

In our simple celebration, we held hands, snuggled and remembered the blessings God has given our family.  We thanked him for sustaining our marriage when our loss could’ve ripped us apart.  And in this wee hour of the morning, I am grateful for the gift I find in my wife.

Peace!