Yesterday I woke up and found an envelope with my name on it in my office chair. Inside was a wonderful greeting card from my wife, Melissa. The card seemed to capture the full spectrum of emotions we’ve shared in the 16 years we’ve been together. One line in the card said…
“We’re not perfect and neither is this relationship. But you know what? It’s ours.”
“It’s ours” is a great way of expressing the depth and personal feelings of marriage. I often caution newlyweds not to take too much advice from those who are not married. The reason is dating is more like renting while marriage is like ownership.
“… let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:2b NKJV)
Singles use terminology like “my man” or “my woman” but their words are about the same as calling an apartment “my house”. Sure it’s the place where you reside but the building isn’t yours.
After 16 years of marriage with its ups and downs I’m convinced that long term dating without the commitment of marriage isn’t nearly as fulfilling. I’m also convinced that staying married and overcoming our differences is more rewarding than the thrill of “the hunt” that dating seems to supply.
I’m happy that Melissa is mine and I’m equally happy that I’m hers. I have the rewarding challenge of doing the things daily that fulfill her life, and the incredible joy of allowing her the opportunity to fulfill mine. Do we always get it right? No. Is it perfect? No. But you know what? It’s ours.