Sometimes I feel like the luckiest man in the world

We are sitting side by side on a flight to Brisbane. Ours was the first flight out this morning, which meant we were up at 4am. Sandy dozes beside me and I once more find myself incredibly thankful that this woman has shared her life with me.

We’ve been married for 30+ years and yes, we each have annoying little quirks. When Sandy pulls out one of her many lists that demand certain chores be completed and completed now, I long ago learned the virtue of surrender. When I get started with some new idea that has excited me or have launched into one of my political rants Sandy too knows that I have become like the Borg and that resistance is futile.

These little annoyances are the very small price paid for a love and friendship that runs deep. Life has taken us into dark valleys, onto breathtaking mountaintops and all the mundane moments inbetween. We have deliberately cultivated our communication patterns, our emotional intelligence, and ways to resolve conflict fairly.

I can’t help feeling that the thing that really binds us together is, from my side, the fact that every night as I lay beside her I am filled with wonder that this incredible human being has chosen to share her life with me. It seems that with each new challenge life brings our way Sandy not only shows up but shows up with courage, love, tenderness and hope. Yes, some of these challenges have exacted a heavy toll, but a load we somehow manage to bear together.

There is no special occasion that has prompted this piece, just a need to put into words the admiration and gratitude I feel in my heart.

9 comments

Leave a Reply to Kelli Hughes Cancel reply

  • Such a lovely tribute. What a wonder and blessing when we can share our lives so deeply with another dear one! God is good!

  • Nicely put Scott. We are 58 years of marraige and can align ourselves with what you have said. We are so grateful to God for His presence and guidance in our lives. Five children who are all trusting the Lord, 16 grandchildren ( two of whom we have concerns,), and nine great grandchildren ( and still counting). We have much to tank God for. Praise Him.

  • You are indeed both much beloved!
    That love will lasts even if one of you eventually has to pass on from this life.
    I experienced this truth when my soul mate died.
    This is what I wrote about this grief and loss come joy and gain:

    FAREWELL, BUT NEVER GOOD BYE! Andris Heks 1.09.2017

    ‘Quantum entanglement means that two particles become inextricably linked so that whatever happens to one will automatically affect the other, no matter how far apart they are.’
    Does this describe our relationship Vilma?
    Since you died two years ago dear soul mate, you have been in my life even more than when you were alive:
    ‘See You!
    You died dear soul mate, so let us celebrate
    Your entering realms where you can generate
    Sweet love for the living souls
    Burdened by the Earth’s toils.

    I look into the Void and see your bright eyes
    And the sweetest of smiles lighting up the skies;
    You surround me with gentle embrace
    And fill my heart with abundant grace.

    We take off on a cosmic cruise
    To distant planes which ooze and fuse
    With might and sound and translucent light,
    Magic music that makes the spheres bright,

    Morphing into milliard mirages, we laugh and cry through our voyages
    Into the loony Void’s own Luna Park; innocent and playful in the dark
    And light infinite space
    Where angel flutes set the pace.

    Then I come back and you ascend
    But first you shower and send
    Your loving mate zillions of kisses and warm and soft tears
    To humour and move me through my remaining years,

    Till I may join you in the infinite realm
    Where the Spirit rules solely from a splendid helm.
    Where there’s only the eternal embrace
    That enfolds the Earth with astounding grace!

    Your body is gone but not your presence
    I keep being nourished by your essence,
    Your contented peace that dispels my worries
    Riding the merry-go-round as time hurries

    Faster with every year till the end of my life
    But I am less and less phased by its endless strife,
    Trying to love my neighbour as you loved me
    Till we’ll glide tandem in the eternal sea.’

    At last the magpies replied to my whistling, imitating their song, for the first time.
    I pick up the phone to share the good news with you Vilma. I am about to dial your number when I realise: you are no longer on this number. I put the phone down wishing I knew your new number.
    If you only gave it to me.
    Why are you holding back?
    You promised, you would contact.
    Several times you just about swore to assure me that you would let me know what it is like where you went. Well, what is it like?
    Will you tell me? I talk to you in my mind, nearly every day but alas it is a totally one sided conversation. Will you at least give me a sign about yourself? My mother did, several times, after she went. I kept bumping my head into things and every time I did, I was convinced it was a sign from her, as if telling me:
    ‘Hey, I am still around and stop being angry with me.’
    Yes, it took me a while to achieve this. When she went, I was so angry. I was crying out loud:
    ‘I lost my mother, without ever having had one.’
    What I was complaining about was, that my mother and I never seemed to have come to know each other intimately.
    I wish I could have accepted her as she was. Now I do, alas she is already gone. Yet, it was my positive experience with you Vilma that helped me to come to terms with her belatedly.
    Because it was so different with you. The moment I met you, twenty one year my senior, we became friends, as if we had known each other for a long time. But you were not only a friend, you were also the continuation of my mother. As if I was able to take up with her from where I left off. This time we both, listening to each other. It was always easy to talk to you Vilma. You always had time, you always listened, understood and you were interested. And you shared with me so much about what you had learnt through your long life.
    So Vilma, I hold you to your promise. Talk to me, or at least send me your new phone number.
    What?
    You are no longer on the phone?
    And I no longer have to ring you?
    Then how do we communicate?
    Through my heart?
    Right, but will you answer me?
    What?
    That you don’t have to do that either?
    Because I shall know your answers?
    That’s true Vilma. After all we had been intimate friends for over twenty years. Eventually, I could predict your answers. It helped that since you started to approach 90, sometimes you repeated yourself over and over again, without you ever noticing it.
    But it was so great to hear from you as you told me with excitement at least ten times over a period of time, on every occasion as freshly as if it was the first time, that:
    ‘You know my angel, I am very grateful. I wake up in the morning and it is so quiet around me. There is peace. No wars like overseas. I am lacking in nothing. I thank God for my daily bread.
    And I even manage to save some of my pension. I love my housing department unit. Every morning my pigeon is waiting for me cooing outside for a feed. I open my balcony door and the sun floods it. She gets her bread crumbs. But the other pigeons come too. I hush them away. They make too much mass on the floor.
    Then I make my morning coffee. I sit down at my kitchen table and I read my daily message from the Bible.
    It is always relevant.
    I thank God for my good fortune.
    I look at the wild flowers in the grass. Each is so little, yet different and miraculously perfect…
    But I must say, when I wake up in the morning, I love to laze for a while in bed. What a wonderful luxury to stay in bed as long as I like! Though I feel a bit guilty. I should be getting up, but so enjoy staying longer in bed.
    It did not use to be like that when I was young with three boys. I often did not know from one day to the other if we’ll have anything to eat. But, thank God, we always found something. Gábor sometimes said: ‘Mum, I am so hungry.’
    I replied:
    ‘Just wait my sweet one, God will provide. And you know, my angel, God always did.’
    Yes, Vilma, I am glad that you took me in among the saints of your pantheon. It felt very special to be addressed as your ‘angel’, or as your ‘gold’.
    Well, the specialty lost a bit of its gloss, when being at your place once I overheard your phone conversations. I discovered that you called everyone your angel and your gold. But then it was still wonderful to witness how you, in fact, did see everyone as your ‘gold’ and angel.
    Well, where are you now, my angel?
    Have you met up with your Saviour?
    You so much wanted to and I am sure you did.
    I see you looking down from high up there, smiling on us saying:
    ‘Well, my angels, it’s all wonderful up here.
    But you know, my gold, I am a bit detached from the Earth now.
    I have other matters to attend to, up here.
    So, take care and enjoy every minute, till we meet again.
    See you angels!’

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