We were one tree and not two...

Family Photos, November 2011

This morning I woke up feeling so thankful for all of this beautiful-ness in my world. My family. The love that surrounds me. Opportunity. The ability I have to make changes, to move forward, and to live how I'd like. Freedom. And I got to thinking about how this one go-round is all about relationships- the connections we make with others- and I thought about all of the people in my life I consider the closest. So naturally I thought about Hank. I thought about what a good man he is, how kind-hearted he is, what a good father he is. I sat there for a minute, thinking about this husband of mine, lost in these lovely thoughts...and spilled hot tea all down the front of my chest. Ow. All happy thoughts flew out of my mind as a few curse words came flying out...but for a moment it was a beautiful. ;) Somewhere in there though I remembered this quote. I came upon it a few years back and I revisit it from time to time. It's about true love, and to me, it's perfect. And I think you'll like it too.

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."

-Louis de Bernières