Love

This, just to warn you, will most likely be a sappy post.  

I spent this last weekend celebrating the marriage of my dear friend Tricia, to Aaron, a wonderful man who is so perfectly suited to Tricia, I know only God could have fit them together.  At their wedding I read a poem from an old book of poetry that belonged to Tricia's grandpa.  The poem is so beautiful, I tear up every time I read it.  Many people at the wedding told me that they did the same.  My new friend Meghana, one of the bridesmaids, told me after the ceremony that she couldn't even glance in her husband's direction the entire time I was reading because she found the poem so moving.  Here it is: 

“Love” 

by Roy Croft

I love you,
Not only for what you are,
But for what I am
When I am with you.
I love you,
Not only for what
You have made of yourself,
But for what
You are making of me.
I love you
For the part of me
That you bring out;
I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can’t help
Dimly seeing there,
And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find.
I love you because you
Are helping me to make
Of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern
But a temple;
Out of the works
Of my every day
Not a reproach
But a song.
I love you
Because you have done
More than any creed
Could have done
To make me good
And more than any fate
Could have done
To make me happy.
You have done it
Without a touch,
Without a word,
Without a sign.
You have done it
By being yourself.
Perhaps that is what
love means,
After all.

Tricia and Aaron changed the wording at the end a little, and I reflected that change here.  I like it better (No offense to Mr. Croft).  

This poem makes me think of A because I think it describes perfectly how I feel about him.  I love him because of the wonderful man that he is, his strength of character, his patience, his work ethic, his motivation, his sense of humor... I could go on forever.  But I also love him for the woman he is helping me to be.  He makes me good, he makes me laugh, he teaches me patience, he teaches me about sacrifice, about selflessness, about humbleness and about love because he embodies all these things.  He has made of my sad, empty life a song.  He is helping me to build something useful out of the great big scrap heap my life used to be.  He took the time to see past my white middle-class incompatibilities to the girl I am underneath, and he loves her.  And that makes me love her too.  And love him even more.  

So there - I warned you it would be sappy.  But this weekend left me in a sappy kind of mood.  And I just wanted to tell the world how grateful I am to be living wheel life with A. 

New Beginnings and Celebrations

So my life the last year has undergone more changes than I could have ever seen coming.  I fell in love with a wonderful man, and that was the beginning of it all.  We're celebrating a year together on Friday, Monday I'm starting another new job, and in thinking about everything that has changed in the last year, these are the things I think about the most. 

1. I will never regret choosing A over my job, but some days, I really miss the world of Child Life.  One thing I'm learning is that part of my identity was wrapped up in being a CLS, and I'm having to find a new piece of myself in my new path.  Its hard work, but I think I'm going to like who I am when I'm done.

2. The world is not as handicap accessible as the government wants us to think.  My boyfriend can not get into my house, my grandparents' house (one set anyway), and many other places that I've always taken for granted climbing the stairs into.  But what I've loved about becoming so aware of stairs, is all of the many people in my life who have made a special point of coming to me and saying "I checked, and Albert can totally get into my house."  When Missy and Stephan bought their new house in Springfield, the first thing Missy said to me was "And the great thing is, if you guys ever come visit, A can totally get into our house!" My loving Aunt Kerry (who lives all the way in Louisville, KY) said the same thing about her house, and my good friend Lauren has insisted I bring A to her house-warming party.  My dear sister-by-choice Andrea made a point of making sure I knew her wedding/reception would be accessible.  All of this is to say, for every frustrating situation we find ourselves in, when I go somewhere and have to leave my date at home, there is someone else who is pouring out love to us and reminding us we're not fighting the world of walkers alone.

3. I will never again take for granted being able to pick up and go wherever I want, whenever I want.  I will never again take for granted being able to get up out of bed when I want to, dress myself, shower by myself, and make myself a sandwich.  Every day I am awed at the way my man handles his new life with grace and poise.  He continues to teach me so much about what it really means to have patience, and I hope that I can extend as much grace to the people in my life as he extends to those in his, including me. :)

Those are the top three for today.  Perhaps tomorrow I'll share a few more of the things I've learned this year.  There are many learning experience to be had, living wheel life.