Saturday, July 17, 2010

July 17

Today is the day.
The eighteen year anniversary of the day that Brian, in his unwavering persuasiveness, convinced me to sing a duet with him in front of 300+ people. In a church.

A song that we'd practiced while sitting on the gentle slope of a roof just outside the most adorable balcony, Brian with the guitar and me holding my cat Betty. We'd sung; "you can cry on my shoulder, and when the mirror tells us we're older, I will hold you and I will be here" until it had very quickly deteriorated into "crying on my boulder"... and more variations of the same.

But on the particular day, in the particular church, with the guitar grasped with some sincerity and no kitty in sight.... the pressure to sing strictly of shoulders, commitment and eternity made me squirm in my bustier.

Then Brian's voice, strong, beautiful, irrisistable- carrying bravely on:

And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here


That same beautiful voice has been with me all these years. All the nights when I cried on his shoulder. And the nights when I curled away from him- impossible miles away in a double bed. The voice that talked me into much riskier things than two minute duets. The voice that for times fell silent, discouraged, buried, exhausted.

At times we've entered back into that duet.
We've lost sight of love
turned the laughter into crying
and watched the sun disappear.

But Brian's voice has always grounded me.
Has always brought me home.

And the duet has carried us back the other verses of
being together, being here, and being true.

(Happy 18th Anniversary, cutie pie. Your voice has been my home for all these years. And if you need to, you can cry on my boulder any time.)

17 comments:

Roo said...

awww. swa-eet! happy anniversary! :)

it's a gong show... said...

:o)

Valerie Ruth said...

wow - very touching!

Judy said...

Awww.., so sweet.

Many more, you two. MANY more.

Anonymous said...

ah.. marriage alive and strong as well as that old cat.
congrats Patti

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post.
Happy Anniversary, you two lovelies.
.e.

Rosa said...

wow could you please help me swallow this lump in my throat. How wonderful congratulation you two. Oh and I saw Betty today she said she's seen better, but you know how cats are so non-commital and ohhhh soo I don't care.

joyce said...

I remember the time I had to choose between Betty and Brian.... and the times I've questioned my choices...

ha ha, real funny, joyce.

Anonymous said...

Congrats guys.....wishing you many, many more L ) L-lew

janice said...

Happy Anniversary!!! Keep doing what you are doing - it works.

Analise said...

Even though I was only 12, I still vividly remember that particular moment from your wedding - it's still one of the best wedding moments in my memory. Congrats, Joyce.

Heather Plett said...

What a lovely post! Happy anniversary.

Leanne said...

Beautiful. Happy Anniversary.

Anonymous said...

So glad you choose Brian... and we got Betty. A lovely arrangement.
Patti

joyce said...

Analise-- who knew?! I would have never imagined that anyone would remember or be impacted by such a moment. I appreciate you telling me so. I remember Jewish friends who gave us two beautiful wine glasses, and then were horribly embarrassed as they realized there was no wine at the wedding. I explained that Mennonites drink IN SECRET.

Not so quick, Patti. I can make that man purr. (he's not much of a mouser though...)

Anonymous said...

Awwww that is beautiful Joycie... and Analise, great to hear that from you, too!
Schwester

Michelle said...

Congratulations, Joyce & Brian!