This is what we celebrated last week in Hungary:
He: 40 years, plus one year, one week and one day.
Me: 40 years, minus one year, one week and one day.
He: Non celibate monk, with the joy and responsibilities that fatherhood brings. In need of a lot of think time and reflection, lovely dad, never tired to give just another hug to the kids (or me) when someone needs it. Very patient. Strategic thinker. Love for what is alive and an urge to go back to the roots of everything, really Everything. And happy to explain it, one to one especially at night or later.
Me: Non fit nun, kind of Maria in the sound of Music, Mam, but in need of some added adventure. Philosophers wife, still finding out, every day what that means.;) Love to share most of what I think with as many people as possible, and around 5 or 6 am is the time that my brain is the busiest.
(Honestly, I doubted at first if this would be a good combination for marriage. Marrying was maybe the first big adventure. But Jelle always said that it would turn out lovely. And I intuitively trusted his way of strategic thinking.)
And now, after nearly fifteen years I have to say that he was right. It did turn out well and our very different personalities have added new perspectives for both of us. He brought my sparkling (sometimes explosive) personality to a deeper level of reflection and understanding and I see it as my call to distract his thinking -if needed-, with whatever works the best at that moment.
I can’t wait to see what the future will bring.
https://theworldaroundmytable.com/after-16-years-of-marriage/
☺
Nancy