My wife and I have been married for 29 years

Our wedding - 29 years ago

This is a happy day. It's a day to remember how fortunate I am. It's a day to realize that I am happier than I've ever been before. It's a day to remember how all those women I dated before my wife were correct - I wasn't the guy for them. I couldn't see it but they could. They are all better off than if I had tricked them into marrying me.

I never knew a relationship could be so relaxing, fulfilling and happy as when I started dating my wife. Before, I had always been trying to conform to what I thought the woman I was with wanted in a man. I had always been trying to not be me but someone I thought those women would like. I was uncomfortable and awkward around them because I didn't know what they wanted. Isn't that great? They weren't the right ones for me but my wife was.

Twenty nine years later

When we started dating, I was surprised how easy it was. I knew what to say because it was the things I wanted to say. I knew the things to do because it was the things I wanted to do. Of course, I took my wife-to-be's likes into consideration and talked about things she wanted to talk about, too. But those things were things I enjoyed, too. It wasn't a struggle. It wasn't scary. I didn't have to change or conform or not be myself. As a matter of fact, it was just the right thing to be myself because that's how she knew that I was the right guy.

 This was what I dreamed about for 42 years before we got married. I didn't know the specifics but it's just what I had hoped for. Marrried to someone who respects me and loves me through all the mistakes I make. When we find oursleves with a problem, we can discuss it and work it out. It's the most amazing thing in the world.

As a side, sad note, the other three people in the first picture are gone. My wife's parents (on the left) and my mother (on the right) have all passed away. My big regret is that my father died before we got married and couldn't be in that picture. So now, we are the adults in the family. Even though they were old and infirm (in later years - not here), we depended on their wisdom. We valued their opinions and listed to their advice. It's all up to us, now.