After Thirty-Eight Years

To you my love:
If Apples were pears, and peaches were plums,
And roses had a different name;
If tigers were bears, and fingers were thumbs,
I'd still love you just the same.

Unlike like Tapol in the "Fiddler", I need not ask "Do you love me?" For you have shown me in so many ways. Your commitment to our relationship has been unconditional. So many times that I can't count the ways. How can I begin to tell you the depth of my feelings? I know it is there because of the lump that grows in my throat when I try. So here's to all the travel times we have had:

• Our 35 anniversary trip to Bardstown Ky and the dinner train before your surgery in January 2005.
• Our 2003 birthday trip to see our friends in Alaska and the photo's of this "Fading Frontier"
• Our celebrated 30 th anniversary in Hawaii on December 5th 2000.
• Our 25 anniversary in New Orleans where we renewed our wedding vows on the Delta Queen.
• Our anniversary trip to England to visit our friends in Cornwall and Kent plus the historic places in London and Windsor.
• The Landmark Forum to clear my mind and helping me get back on track. (Although I suspect an ulterior motive, it makes me smile and love you more). You have always done for others, books for reference, food recipes, home remedies, and techniques; always sharing your knowledge in such a unique care-giving way that you are often misunderstood. I know I love you for these ways because I hurt when you hurt and I feel anger when you are misunderstood.
• The renewed trust when you felt the pain in 71 when I failed to share the loss of my job at Allis-Chalmers for the weekend. My intentions were good but my method was lousy. Forgive me. . . . .

I further thank you for just being you and I continue to thank you for:

­ allowing me to share in the raising of your sons as my own when mine were taken from me by a debilitating divorce and allowing me to nurture them with you till they have reached their 30's and now call me "DAD".

­ supporting our relationship and the financial efforts when mine were lacking. I have tried to be a good provider but life happens and turns things around. You carried the ball and sacrificed so much with your time and energy over the years. And even now as you approach retirement you continue to concern yourself with our financial well being.

– continuing to continue through the hard times of having a full time job, attending night college, being a mother to the boys, my companion, raising a stepson in his teanage years, supporting your own live-in mother and her loss. You have pushed and stabilized this relationship almost to the point of injuring your health. I feel ashamed and yet awed by your tenacity to remain with me. Thank you.

I am truly a lucky man to have your friendship and love. I find it difficult to express these feelings as I am sure you know. Perhaps this simple acknowledgement of them will do:

To you my love, my steadfast companion, and life-long friend I pledge a better commitment, a renewed faith in our future togetherness and a golden time for living in these "October, November, and December" years.

We were told to asks for something bigger than big tonight. There is no further need in my life. When I have you by my side, I have it all (winning the lottery or the power ball would be no good without you).

Your Nanuk