Today...

Today really is an interesting day.

I glance at the calendar, and get a smile on my face. Every time I look at a clock I start calculating hours and minutes.

Why?

Ten years ago, today, at noon, I married the woman that I am sure was sent to me by God.

We met over the internet AFTER she'd relocated from Argentina to Orlando, Florida. A very bad childhood made it extremely difficult for her to trust guys, at all, and the people she'd met after arriving in the U.S. didn't seem to have helped matters, either.

I thought I was only looking for a pen-pal, mostly because I was not supposed to have all that many years left, due to some weird health problems. Also, I'd been married before, but my first wife had some personality-altering psychosis that changed her into something so bizarre that she was not even allowed to see our kids without supervision. A friend, who happened to be a priest, had our marriage annulled because he was convinced she was no longer the person I'd originally married. Prior to that, when I'd tried (repeatedly) to adopt another child, I was advised to re-apply as a single parent. Believe me, I neither planned nor hoped to remarry.

And yet, God arranged things a bit differently than we'd expected. I was concerned that this lady understand that Our Lord had her best interests at heart, and probably had someone already picked out for her. And He did! As it turned out, it was me!

A few short weeks of being pen-pals made us realize we cared deeply for each other. We wanted to meet, but I still had a teenager in the nest, so she traveled here. That was July 3rd, and on the 9th, we were married.

I am aware that this is not the normal way for folks to get hitched. I suspect it would not have worked for any other couple, and I thank God that He intervened on our behalf.

Couples have to accept that there are always going to be differences between them.

Always...

In general, guys don't vocalize their feelings as much as do women, they hate shopping, love sports and like to view life as a power contest, very much like their favorite sport(s).

Women, thrive on conversation, love to go shopping, think almost all sports are boring and want their home-life to be the safe refuge from the world.

Are their exceptions? Again, always...

It is important to remember that God has always known what you'd be like, what you'd need and want. The right choice in your spouse is the one who completes you, makes you into the stable and viable individual that God meant you to be.

God blessed me a lot, and you too, if you think about it.

In closing; Guys, tell her you love her. Tell her a lot! Don't stop, not ever. Keep proving to her that the passage of time will never dull your interest in her. And ladies, he won't ever be very expressive about things that are not contests (again, like sports). Its OK to ask for reminders, just don't be hurt if they are not as automatic as you'd like.

Cars wear out, paint fades, styles change and we all get older, but true love only improves with use and age.

Till we meet again, in Paradise!