Today is Tywana’s birthday. 55 years on the planet. We’ve been married 27-1/2 years. Half of her life she has chosen to be just with me. The last three years of the 27 have been the most difficult, but probably the most productive in terms of soul growth.
As I come back into this world this morning waking from my slumber, I reflect on our time together. In some ways, we are very different people. In other ways, we are very much the same. We are truly partners in every sense of the word. We are business partners. We partnered raising the girls. We collaborate on just about every decision from paint color to what direction we’re going to take the business. I am blessed to have found her at the gym over 30 years ago at this point in time.
It’s not all sunshine and roses. I’m not easy to live with. This is especially true over the last three years. I am appreciative of her patience with me as I continue to struggle to reintegrate into a world that is even more foreign to me than it was before. I don’t take it for granted. It’s widely quoted that up to 90% of couples who suffer the death of a child also suffer the death of their marriage. I, in fact, believed that right up until a moment ago when I found out that is a myth. The death of a child does have a profound impact on a marriage and will expose and test any cracks that are there. On the other hand, the death of a child, gives a couple a shared experience to walk through together, an experience that can, in fact, draw the couple closer. While the stress has taken its toll, the shared experience has made us realize just how much we have in common.
I have seen remarkable growth in Tywana over the past three years. The Tywana of June 24 when Shayna made her transition has matured and blossomed in ways I don’t think either of us thought possible in this lifetime.
Today, we celebrate this milestone, this achievement. Happy Birthday, Tywana. Thanks for sharing your life with me.
One Comment
Beautiful tribute to your marriage. Blessings to you both. ❤ JMR