Random Thoughts, part 15: On 7 years of marriage.

Random Thoughts, part 15: On 7 years of marriage. 

Lucky #7 or the 7 year itch? 

1. When you’re at the point in your relationship of truly “needing” a king-sized bed, there is a chance that a king-sized bed will not be big enough. 

2. Go ahead and get separate blankets, eye covers, and ear plugs while you are at it. 

3. At some point while parenting young children, I transitioned from being the doctor who was confused and concerned that a small child could be allowed to swallow or inhale something dangerous to being the parent wondering how the hell you could even know when and where and how it happened. 

4. The evening before our 7th anniversary which falls on Valentine’s Day, I called my husband to ask if he could swing by a restaurant on his way home to pick up a meal which I had already ordered and paid for. No, he couldn’t. 

5. He came home with a bouquet of red roses purchased from Whole Foods, and immediately  - before saying hello to me  - began dividing the bouquet up to give half of it to a friend who is recently divorced and her young daughters. Literally, he did this right in front of my eyes as my son explained to me what he was doing. 

6. Any guys/husbands taking notes, I presume I don’t have to say this, but like —— don’t do that. I truly can’t even make this stuff up. 

7. It’s actually fine. After the shock subsided, it doesn’t really bother me. From the right perspective, it comes from a good place. But I probably wouldn’t recommend testing it on your partner. 

8. I recently started a gratitude practice and this might be a good time to pivot to gratitudes. 

9. Each time I see healthy human life enter the world, I am in awe of the miracle. I am grateful this experience is a routine part of my job. 

10. I feel such enormous gratitude that I was blessed with my three beautiful, healthy children. 

11. As I grow older and have more perspective, I observe many couples suffer through painful illnesses, traumas, addictions, and divorce. I am very grateful that in my relationship we encourage and support each other to remain healthy and strong. 

12. That is what allows me to dismiss such small and silly things mentioned above. Who even cares, anyway? I grow my own flowers, and I can pick up my own food. 

13. I started a "5 year journal" last year, in which you write a few lines on each day with all 5 years of each day sharing a page. It is absolutely fascinating to read back on this day one year ago in anticipation of what was to come... 2020 was one hell of a year to choose to start this experiment. 

14. The Untethered Soul changed my life. 

15. Podcasts are a wealth of free information and resources. I love them. What a gift of our time. 

16. I’m grateful I have stayed healthy from Covid despite considerable work-related risk. 

17. I’m grateful to have kept an uninterrupted job. 

18. I’m grateful my family is healthy and/or recovered. 

19. I’m grateful for the vaccine. 

20. I’m grateful to learn, once again, that life goes on. Truthfully, despite so many sadnesses and struggles, in many ways it gets better — as long as you learn how to notice. 

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“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."

"Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time."

"Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet."

"I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn." 

-Maya Angelou