22
Many years ago, a relatively sane woman lost her mind. It was kind of tragic really. A college educated woman of sense, style and taste decided to throw away her good name, her reputation and a whole half of her bed.
In a choice that was frequently deliberated and worried over, she decided to import her trouble from halfway across the world, immersing herself in a tidal wave of bureaucracy, paperwork and restrictions.
All in the name of…… Love?????
But this was no ordinary trouble that she had saddled herself with. Her co-workers questioned her judgment, sure that she was unwittingly playing a role in someone else’s ‘green card’ story.
She had not known this man for long, and had not spent too many days in his company, and now she was inviting him into her home, her heart, her bank account and most importantly, her library!
Surely this was going to go wrong?
Yet she persisted in her folly, extolling his good qualities (or making them up) and proclaiming that this was indeed true love (or something close enough to be worth rolling the dice on).
In a moment of extremely poor judgment she had agreed to a proposal, and found herself married to a crazy man who would make her life stranger than she could ever think it would be.
That was 22 years ago this week.
In that time she stuck by her crazy husband through the storms of life. Through births and surgeries, the passing of a parent, prerequisites, graduate school, beginning a career, the decade of despair and the new and terrifying adventure of starting their own practice.
She provided direction, organization, wise counsel and a listening ear. She never nagged, or spoke with derision.
And he always knew that he was blessed, and lucky, to have her.
Holly and I celebrate 22 years of marriage this week. I can honestly say that I have tried every one of those years to be worthy of her. I fear I have failed miserably on far too many occasions, but she is gracious in her patience.
I am aware that without her, I would be lost, probably amidst an ever growing pile of unfinished paperwork and uncompleted projects.
She is the other half of my soul. I have been whole now for 22 years, and I pray it will continue that way.
So today I write of the greatest blessing that any of us can find, which is to share our lives with someone who balances us, and helps us to find peace amidst the madness that is this world.
If you have found that person, I beg you to hold fast to them. If you are still searching, I pray you the courage to keep looking, and that your search be successful.
May you find the happiness I have, and may it continue all of your days.
I love you Holly, Thank you.
— Dr. Alan Barnes
@maddrbmusings