Tuesday, October 11, 2011

An Anniversary 10.11.2008




Did you write vows for your wedding?  Or will you?  I know they are not for everyone, but for us, it just made sense.  Saying my vows was the thing I was most nervous about all the days leading up to the day. I even took a valum so I could make it through the ceremony!  I wanted them to be sincere.  I wanted those who didn't know us all that well (maybe they knew Dave, or knew my parents, but not us as a couple) to get a glimpse of why we were choosing each other...to get a feel for who we are.  To make it personal, to take ownership of the actual ceremony.  And, if I'm honest, I really wanted people to like hearing what I had to say.  Ohhhh how I worried what people would think--cheesy?--dumb?--boring?--or any number of things that don't really matter.  
In the end, I walked back down that aisle in bliss and haven't thought much about the moment since.  

But, today is our anniversary.  
And I was shuffling through our tin of important memories/passports/pictures and I came across two crisply folded white pieces paper.  
Our vows.  
It was interesting to see our personalities peek through even with just a quick glance.  David's is all one longggg paragraph, very little punctuation, no doubtedly written the night before day-of with no stress.  He has a way with words.  Mine take up the entire page, the wording perfectly spaced to match the cadence of my speech.  I began writing them months before our wedding.

Anyway, at the risk of being cheesy (yup, still worried about that one) and for the sake of posterity, I'm typing these vows onto the blog.  Because, above all else, this blog is my journal--and all I have of a pivotal moment in my life is written on two pieces of paper.  No copies.  

So if you're still reading, and if you're still interested, I give you: Our Vows.


{D}
Plato once said. "At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet." I don't think he meant it literally.  My words seem less poetic the more I try.  But I do agree that through love we understand poetry.  So I guess in that sense I am a poet Lisa when you are near. Thinking back to several years ago when I first said "I love you to death Lisa Lorraine Handy." the fulfillment of an eyelash wish.  I had no idea at the time the profound impact you would have on my life.  My father told me many years ago "You'll know when you're in love not by the funny feeling you get when you see her.  But when having her in your life makes you want to be a better man."  And you truly inspire me to be better today than yesterday, and tomorrow better than today.  Lisa you are the best thing in my life, and I promise to cherish you with every piece of me.  I covenant to be the best companion, husband and lover that I can be.  I promise to you fidelity and respect.  To devote each day to loving you the most I know how to even when circumstances make it difficult.  I will always be there to listen, when the subject is lively and fun, frustrated, or contentious.  I look forward to every day and experience that we will share.  We have the rest of our lives to share great moments and inevitable difficulties.  I promise to make the most of it.  I promise to be your greatest friend, supporter, fan and constructive critic.  Victor Hugo tells us "The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or rather loved in spite of ourselves." Lisa I promise to love you, because of you and in spite of you.  I will always love you.  You have my heart, my love, and my soul. 

{L}
5 years ago, around the time that we first met, we were laying out on your hammock in your sister's backyard.  It was one of the first warm days of spring.  I remember you picked an eyelash from my cheek and told me to make a wish.  And as I blew it way, you sat up, looked at me intently, and said "Now that one is gonna come true."     And my heart raced.     For in my wish, I simply thought, I hope he loves me back.

David, throughout the course of our relationship, you have shown me absolutely that you love me back.

You have been my best friend, playmate, confidant, and my greatest challenge.  But most importantly, you are the love of my life and you make me happier than I could ever imagine.

You are the sunshine on my back     on a crisp autumn day.

I love your boyish innocence that once inspired you to run up a hill dangling a turtle from a string, yelling excitedly to everyone that you had caught a turtle.

I value your generosity.      Anyone who knows you well knows that you will alwasy be there to lend a hand, an ear, or a good time.

I admire your charismatic sense of humor.     You have the amazing ability to walk into a room,     and casually transform it with laughter.

And I love your twinkling eyes that stare back at me and say,     "Now this one is going to come true."

David,

I promise to encourage your compassion,
because that is what makes you unique and wonderful.

I promise to nurture your dreams,
because through them, your soul shines.

I promise to help shoulder our challenges,
for these is nothing we cannot face if we stand together.

I promise to be your partner in all things,
not posessing you, but working with you as part of a whole.

Lastly, I promise you perfect love, and perfect trust,
for one lifetime with you could never be enough.

This is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things. 

3 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. so very sweet! i think it's good to think about this moment and remember how you were feeling. i hope i never forget!

    happy anniversary to a really, really, really ridiculously good looking couple ;)

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  3. Happy Anniversary! Those are amazing, beautiful vows and yes still so much you guys! How I wish i wasn't so young and immature in ways when I was married....maybe I would've done something sacred like this :) thanks for sharing once again!

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