Give and take

I'm a romantic at heart. 

Wednesday is the 37th anniversary of the day I "took a bride".  That's a funny thing to say--"took a bride".  What I actually did was "give my heart away". When you think about it, aren't these statements more truth than simple cliches?

Marriage is a 'give' and 'take' endeavor.  No marriage will last that doesn't understand this simple equation.
 
Since-like last year-I'm more than 100 miles away from her on OUR day, several things I saw today reminded me of Marilyn.

First was the rose in the picture I posted above.  I couldn't resist taking a picture of it.  The rose was the only flower on one bush in a bed of rosebushes and it's beauty stood out among all the others--just the way I see Marilyn.

Later, I saw a small Victorian-style balcony on one of the apartment buildings I was driving by, and I imagined Marilyn coming out of the door to stand on the balcony to greet me, like Juliette to Romeo.  Corny, I know, but it's exactly what I imagined!  Did I mention I'm a romantic?    
 
Still later, as I was driving by the fairgrounds (the fair is going strong) I saw a young family with a couple of kids walking along.  The husband and wife were holding each others' hands in the middle and each held a child with the other hand.  I said to myself, "What a blessed family!  He's as blessed as I am!" 

Thank you, Dear God, for showing me today how blessed I am.