Story from whoisgrace.com

Author Mignon McLaughlin is most famous for writing just one sentence. A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, and always with the same person. As I write this, I have lived the past 12,614 days of my life with the same person at my side. Could there be any greater dare than promising to share a massive portion of your one and only life at its most intimate level exclusively with one other soul? Some feel a good marriage is reserved for those lucky few who somehow seamlessly click on multiple levels. How about all the others who can’t seem to find a solid place to even begin a friendship let alone heartfelt solidarity? The truth is, nothing good just happens. Meaningful, fluid things take a good measure of intentionality and nothing is more meaningful and fluid than marriage. I don’t care for the phrase working on my marriage. I like how CCN journalist Anne Taylor frames it. A long marriage is two people trying to dance a duet and two solos at the same time.

I didn’t promise myself to Annie to control her or write the script for her life. I wanted the chance to dance with her holding her tightly though all of life’s chapters while at the same time giving her great opportunity and room to grow as an individual. That requires me to take to the dance floor every day with those two things in mind. To lead with confidence and grace during the duet and rejoice when I get to spin her free and applaud the solo. No, a good marriage doesn’t just happen but it certainly is possible.