love and marriage

There are times when relationships are tough. Being with someone for 12 years can be simultaneously boring, excruciating, and scary. Sometimes you pick fights, sometimes the mere sight of their face can make you fume. Sometimes there's no patience, no understanding, no empathy. Sometimes they're a stranger.

But when things are overall good and right, it's also a great deal of fun, interest, and challenge.  You can make each other laugh or you can sit in a perfect, comfortable silence. And there's a simple, loving acceptance of every one of their flaws and shortcomings. To the point where you no longer see them as flaws or shortcomings.

And even after a couple bad, stony-quiet days or petulant weeks, there are nights that you crawl into bed, get under the heavy, clean covers and align your body with theirs, feel their warm heat and familiar smell, and know that this companionship, this love and total comprehension of another person is so utterly worth it, that you'll never feel boredom or irritation again.  And you believe it, and it might even be true.