They Were Right

They tell you that it will be hard. That it could cross your mind that you're not sure if you can make it through. That you'll have to fight with every ounce of fiber in your body. That you have to make up your mind from the beginning because you might not be able to think straight later. But that it's all worth it in the end. That a strong marriage is so valuable, so transcendent, and so good that you will do anything to protect it. And they are right.

At first, it's hard to believe them when they say it's harder than anything in the world. What could ever happen to us? We're so in love, and we would never do anything to hurt one another. Not in a million years." The answers are anything, and yes you will. .....That it may be threatened. But we have such a good foundation. We're strong and forthright and open.

And then it strikes, and you have to fight. You lose your compass and you don't know up from down, but you have to fight anyway, because if you stop fighting, you might not recover, and then you'd lose the most valuable gift you know. You might feel like you've already lost it. But you have to keep fighting anyway, because it's still there...somewhere.

And then it happens, and you find hope. It happens, where the needle on the compass has been spinning out of control, but you thought you felt it slow down in one place. It still spins fast in every other place, except that one place where you think it might be focusing again. North. You know where it is now, and you keep your eyes on it, and slowly the needle spins slower until it stops and rests there. Your tears don't stop, because they've been flowing all along, but they're sweeter now, because you've found home again. His eyes; his arms. It's not over yet...the struggle, the pain, the work. But you're home again, and you realize that they were right. It's the hardest thing in the world. But it's worth more than you can possibly put into words.