Friday, May 14, 2010

love and marriage, ... and LOVE!

I've been with my wife, Jennifer, for about twelve years, although we've only been married since October 9th, 2004 (@ right around 10:00 AM, Tucson, AZ time).

We eloped.

Before we jumped the broom, she forced me to live in sin. I twisted around in discomfort that whole time, me knowing how sinful our unholy union really was. She would force premarital *behaviors* on me that I knew were wrong. Clearly, and in hindsight (which is when clearly-sight most often occurs), she took advantage of my feeble mind, week and flabby carcass, and innate proclivity for watching Cottonwood trees seed. :-D

In all seriousness, I love Jennifer more now, ... today ... than I ever have before. I'm more in love ... now as I write this ... than I was when we married, and I'm much more in love than we she first forced me to watch Cottonwoods seed.

So, my question is: Why?

Why do I love her more today than when we first met? (You know, those first few moments of meeting ... ??)

What makes me miss her when she is away (after 12 years)?

Why am I more physically attracted to her now, ... after she's carried, birthed, and is now raising (I help) our two gorgeous children?

What created such a strange system of attraction?

And retention of attraction?

... and magnification of attraction ... ?

Is it a "Who" that created such?

What does that mean for the "nature of human?"

What are we built for?

Why does love grow like vines?

Why do we find ourselves at places and spaces, in love, that seem impossible?

What does that mean for "how" love grows, ... where it can take us?

Why do I love to watch Jen sleep?

How is she so beautiful?

What, ... or Who made her that way?

How did I find her?

Why did she find me?

Why did/does she put up with my bullsh*t?

Why did/do I put up with her's?

How is she my very-best friend in the world?

Why do I have her back?

What's it mean to be "in a relationship?"

Is a committed relationship different that being married?

Why can't two women marry, or two men, ... or one man and three women, ... or ...?

Is marriage "sacred?"

WTF does sacred mean?

Can their be non-sacred marriages?

What's that look like?

Do those cottonwoods seed?

Can we make sense of a marriage by "the fruit?"

What percentage of marriages end in divorce?

Why?

What percentages of marriages end up with gorgeous kids?

What makes a happy marriage?

Or, what makes a marriage happy?

Do marriages "have to" spawn kids?

Who says?

Aren't there happy marriages that don't?

Why get married?

Why get married if there is a good possibility that it ends bad?

Why do I love the smell of my wife?

Isn't that sort of creepy?

I wonder if she loves the smell of me ....

How does she even tolerate me, ... as I'm thinking about it?

Am I lucky?

Am I blessed?

What's the difference between having a "lucky" marriage and a "blessed" one?

How does "passing gas" play out in a lucky marriage?

Is it different in a marriage that's blessed?

Why are "dead puppies" like mink coats: they look good on someone else?

What makes a marriage work?

What breaks it?

Is God working in my life, my marriage?

What does that mean for my wife?

What does that mean for me "being husband?"

Does "being husband" have anything to do with "being a man?"

Does it have anything to do with "being alive in love?"

What does that mean?

When I am hanging with several people that I respect and truly like being around, ... why is it weird (to them, not me) that I'd rather be at home with my wife?










6 comments:

Carrie said...

I completely understand. Todd is my soul mate & I knew that the day I met him & no matter how much he irritates me I couldn't imagine my life w/out him

Kelly said...

Love this post! Made me think of something that happened early on in our marriage. We were talking about best friends and Doug said I wasn't his friend, I was his wife. It hurt me deeply. Now, after 13 years he says I'm his best friend. I have no idea what makes love grow as it does, but I am thankful for it.

Steve Fuller said...

Mike,

You are weird.

Boooooooom!

Michael Joseph Sharp said...

Steve,

You are engaged. Let's talk about "weird" ten years in, ok?

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet!

Anonymous said...

Mike, You are blessed and you need to just live in the moment. Stop asking so many questions...The reason is simple...YOu understand what it is to love..God's plan to love your wife with your whole heart..Its simple..you already know the answers and you get it! What a beautiful husband you are to my friend Jen. Other people need to be asking you questions as to how to love or how to stay committed...Love you guys, Tracy

Michael Joseph Sharp said...

Tracy, that's very sweet. Thank you.