I am in LOVE!

One of my sweet friends responded to my plea for marriage advice with the following inspiring story from her life..

"The best marriage advice I ever received was from a wise elderly man, when I was newly married. I had only been married about a year or so and was learning to live with my new roommate/ spouse. I found myself easily irritated at him for small simple things and frustrated at times. One day when I was visiting with this elderly man, I asked, 'How is your wife?' and he responded, 'She is an angel on the earth, we have been married for 67 years, and I am in LOVE.' He had a  twinkle in his eye, and I knew he really was in love. This put me into a state of shock. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. Really?  A man in his eighties that was still happy and in love?  I had never met anyone who really loved their wife and was truly happy and so quick to speak such loving words about his spouse. I couldn’t process that this fairy tale response could be real. But no, he really meant what he said, and because of his countenance I believed him. It was a pivotal moment in my life.  I thought to myself, 'If that kind of happiness and love is possible for him, it can be possible for me too.'

I pondered many days, weeks and even month on this simple yet profound phrase.  It kept resurfacing in my mind. 'My wife is an angel on the earth and I love her'.   I stewed over it, I pondered it, I could not let it go.   The memory of his voice still rings so vividly in my mind. I asked myself, 'What is so special about this woman? What could she possibly have done to make this man so happy?' I had no clue.

I wanted to know, how could I become this woman? How could my husband become this man? How could we become so happy like this couple was?  When asked,  I secretly wished my husband would say something so wonderful as to exalt me to that seraphic status.   Then I thought to myself, 'Are my actions angelic?'

At that very moment, I decided I would try to start looking for the cherubic qualities in my husband. And I would try to only see the wonderful things he did for me. I had to look for the kind words and gestures he said and did.   As I did this,  I realized the wonderful good things he did for me were there all along.

You see, I was too blind to see them. I felt so petty and sad at how shallow I had been. The problem had never really been him at all, but rather me and my inability to see his angelic qualities. I also realized, I hadn’t been the most cherubic wife in the world and that I needed to make some changes.

With much practice and focusing on kind words and deeds,  and watching for opportunities of praise, and love,  we have certainly had time to change, to grow, and to learn.  And now when anyone asks, how is your husband? I can honestly say, 'He is an Angel on the earth and I am in LOVE' as my heart pounds and my mind flutters, I am in love and always will be."