Please - Take My Love For Granted

My beautiful wife and I were talking a couple of days ago about life, love, and the paths our lives had taken to finally bring us together. We spoke of the past, the present and the future. It was a tender, spiritual conversation that reminded us of the some of the extremely painful moments of our past as well as the good and precious moments we shared with people who we deeply loved and had to see taken by death into a world beyond the ones we continued to live in. We believe there is a God. Therefore, we feel these souls who left us were called to be with God to fulfill another purpose beyond this Earth.

My wife looked at me and said, "I want you to know that I will never take your love for granted. I want you to know that I cherish and appreciate you. You are my world."

Overwhelmed with compassion, I felt a warmth pass through us, drawing us closer as a married couple. I looked into her eyes and answered. "No. I want you to take my love for granted. Please. We were married and we vowed our love to one another. We made promises which we will keep. I want you to trust and know that my love will always be there for you - always and forever. I want you to feel safe and secure knowing that you can take for granted that my love for you is eternal. I want you to take for granted that I love you and that I always will."

I watched a transformation take place within my wife. A light came on within her. She stared at me, nodded and said, "Okay. I will."

A new chapter began for us. And our love revealed a new dimension.

The Oxford Dictionary gives two definitions for the phrase 'take for granted'. 1) fail to properly appreciate (someone or something) , especially as a result of overfamiliarity. And 2) assume that something is true without questioning it.

To assume that my wife and my love for one another is true without questioning it... this is what we now have. My wife knows she can take my love for granted and I know I can take her love for granted. Because we know it is true. Our love is true. It is demonstrated to one another on a daily basis. We prove our love to each other every day. Our actions bear this out as true. And let me tell you: it is wonderful. I don't have to wonder if my wife loves me and she doesn't have to wonder if I love her. We do. We also appreciate each other - properly - every day.

This concept has a much deeper spiritual connotation. Ponder it. Meditate on it. Think about it. Pray about it. There are so many things you can do with this.

I am so thankful that my wife and I trust one another. We trust one another's love. We know it is there. It is with us. Our love is a bond which has set us free.

I want her to always take my love for granted.

Yes. Please, my darling. Take my love for granted. Know this. My love is alive and absolutely devoted to you.

I Hope You Dance

I remember back around this time in 2019. I felt a lot of hope for 2020. And then the Pandemic changed our view of the world. It changed the way we felt; it altered our sense of direction; and it brought tremendous tragedy, crisis and suffering.

We always have choices. In this world of suffering, we can still reach out and help the person beside us. We help ourselves in the process. We can still offer compassion to those in need. For we are all always in need. We all have a story. We all sail through life on an amazing journey. Everyone needs a little help sometimes. There are times we need a lot of help.

It costs little to avoid being part of a toxic lifestyle. Too avoid stirring trouble. Using wise discretion when sensitivities are high. Offering and showing acceptance - sometimes even showing respect - to people around us. Being a Peacemaker instead of a Hellraiser.

Life is short. Even shorter for some. We have choices. Let's make positive choices as often as we can. Sometimes, it means making big changes in our lives. It can also means just making a small change. And this reminds me of a song by Leeann Womack: I Hope You Dance...

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger May you never take one single breath for granted God forbid love ever leave you empty handed I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance I hope you dance I hope you dance I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance Never settle for the path of least resistance Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin' Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin' Don't let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance I hope you dance (time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along) I hope you dance I hope you dance (tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder) I hope you dance (where those years have gone?) I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance Dance I hope you dance I hope you dance (time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along) I hope you dance I hope you dance (tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder) I hope you dance (where those years have gone?) (Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder) (Where those years have gone?)

It's September the 1st. I hope we all choose to support those around us this month... and for the rest of our lives... who are trying to dance. Let's all try to dance together. It's time.

Peace.

Mom and Dad

I had something more lengthy written for this blog. I was extremely happy with what I had to say to all of you. However, when I went to search for the picture I wanted to use, lo and behold, my internet slipped away and I lost everything I had written. Has this ever happened to any of you? I'm sure it has. Initially, I was deeply disappointed. But as in so many circumstances in my life, I became a philosopher, took a deep breath and began again.

It's much later now and I'm going to turn this blog into a focus on the finer points I wanted to make.

I honor my parents. Mom and Dad. There was never a time when they offended me. Therefore, there was never a time I felt I ever had to forgive them. They instilled faith, hope and courage into me. They believed in me. And because of them, I believed in myself.

Because of them, I am alive. They passed to the other side. Dad long ago. Mom not so long ago. I miss them, appreciate them and love them for all the things they said to me, demonstrated to me, taught me and for the sense of humor they nurtured within my personality.

They encouraged me to walk into the open arms of the unknown and to embrace it. They inspired me to want to love, to smile and to be a friend to the world.

These two people did all of that. I will forever be in their debt. And yet, they never once made me feel like I owed them a thing. I always did everything I could to show them I loved and respected them.

Mom and Dad.