Today marks my 30th wedding anniversary. In some moments, I feel like it happened yesterday and others it feels like a lifetime ago. As I sit here, reflecting on the past three decades spent with Duncan, I am filled with so many emotions – joy, gratitude, amazement and wonder. I’m amazed that 2 very young adults, 21 and 24 said “I do” after only dating, long distance for one year. Against all odds, one month after I turned 21, I married and moved away from my family, my friends and my small town. I moved from Michigan to Minnesota and a year later we settled in North Carolina. I was 12 hours, by car, to the place I once called home.
There have been ups and downs, as any long marriage would attest to. We have grown so much in our 30 years of marriage. We’ve had the joys and stresses of raising three children and then learning the intricate dance of parenting adult children. (I’m still not sure which is harder)
There has been so much laughter shared over inside jokes, nicknames, vacations, good times but also time spent in the most difficult of conversations, resolving conflicts. We’ve lost one parent- Duncan’s mom, a strong, amazing woman - I sometimes wonder how we get by without her. Through it all, we've grown stronger, our love maturing and deepening with each passing year.
Today is also marked by a somber note. One of my favorite clients, who has celebrated five decades of marriage and raised two amazing children, faced the sudden and tragic loss of her husband.
This stark reminder of life's fragility really got me thinking. My thoughts and prayers are with my client during this unimaginably difficult time. She and her husband shared a bond that was a testament to love's endurance. I wish I knew what to do for her in this most difficult time. I know I can’t take away her pain- but I pray that she knows just how very much she is loved.
Today, I honor not only my own marriage, but also their marriage. We are both fortunate to have found a great, sustainable love. Today is a day of great gratitude and appreciation .
Here's to love, in all its forms and phases. To the memories that sustain us, the bonds that enrich us, and the moments, fleeting and eternal, that define us.
With love and remembrance- from my Core,
Amity ❤️
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