Thursday is the fourth anniversary of my marriage to Maria, one of the happiest days of my life, one of the most amazing. Whenever I am discouraged, challenged, saddened or angered I think of Maria and I am reminded of all that is good and pure and loving in the world, all of life’s great promise. This keeps me on course. June 12, 2010 was a miracle in my life, I had never experienced such happiness and trust and love and connection, I did not know it existed.

My marriage reminds me every single day how lucky I am, how happy I am, how meaningful life can be. Last week, I wrote a poem to Maria called “Where Do You FInd Such A Woman..” I think I will never know the answer to the question, I am only grateful that I did.

Maria and I have walked through the fires together, through the darkness and the light, we are two parts of the same puzzle, we share our lives together.  Our souls are twins. Our connection is a creative one, but more than that, we found one another, saved one another. We do it every day. Life is a roller coaster, we all know this. We sometimes lurch from joy to sorrow in the same day, life happens and happens and happens. We always pause to drink in the river of life.

Love has taught me to open up, to be authentic, to step outside of myself, to never dwell for long in the shadows. It has given me the strongest motive for getting well, staying strong. We grow all the time, share life with one another, challenge one another, support one another. Relationships are never simple, neither of us is a simple human being, but they can be quite wonderful.

For me, Maria is the light. We were supposed to leave for a two-day anniversary  break in the morning, but I know today was a painful day for Maria, for me also, so we are heading out tonight to celebrate our happiest day. We will return Friday morning. I am not bringing a computer, only my camera (35 mm lens). The blog will be quiet, I will give everyone a rest from me and my fevered brain. I need a short rest too. I am ready to move forward and eagerly into my life, it is a good one.

Thanks for taking the vows with me, former girlfriend, together we will, as we vowed, put our lips to the world, and just live our lives.

I am so grateful to be married to Maria, it is my Independence Day, the day of the birth of me. Every day I try and live up to my good fortune of being with her, she inspires me every minute to try and be a better and worthy human being. Thank you for bearing witness to this journey of the heart,  for supporting it, for encouraging it, for understanding it, often better than I could. Be back soon.