Our First Decade

Today, Dana and I are celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary. As we commemorate this important milestone in our lives, I have thinking about how fortunate I am to have her still standing by her man - despite the overwhelming pressure she's sometimes felt to ditch me.

I am not the easiest of people to be around. Let alone, to live with. Our first nine years were a constant struggle of me not having found a job I was happy with. At times, things looked pretty desperate, particularly when I was out of work and seeking social security. Yet, throughout, she stayed with me and shared my frustrations and negativity and cried her own bitter tears. I have come to realise how truly blessed I am to have met and married such a very special human being.

There have been good times, in particular, the arrival and growth of our four amazing daughters and I, for one, feel more contented with my life than ever before, although I know that this feeling is not shared by both of us. Yet, here we are, ten years on, older, if not a little wiser and looking straight ahead at the future, hopefully prepared for whatever will appear in our journey.

Dana says that I'm not romantic enough for her. She claims that I used to be more so when we met. I concede that she may be right and with this in mind, I am trying to rekindle the old magic that initially drew us together.

Last night, we went out and I took her to the park where I officially proposed. It is called Primrose Hill and from here, you can see the London skyline. Yes, it was a little contrived (and cold!) but from there we went to a film she had wanted to see called "The Break-Up".

I know it's probably not the most appropriate movie to watch on an anniversary, but it really didn't matter, because we both had such a good time.

I don't know if I can be as romantic as I was back then, but I'm going to try. Our anniversary, special as it is, means that, after ten years, we are still standing under the same canopy, braving the rain (it poured on 11th August 1996) and looking out for the sun to break through the clouds.
Dana, thank you for being here with me and still occasionally smiling at my jokes.

Here's to the next decade and beyond.

xxx