25 Aug Marriage… It’s Worth The Climb!

Eighteen years ago today we walked down the aisle together, taking our first steps as husband and wife. But this morning, we climbed a mountain together. We’d heard there were spectacular views and a huge waterfall at the top; but in order to see it we’d have to climb.

Marriage is like that. It’s a climb, and climbs are hard. You get scratchy, and tired, and weary, and out of breath. I say so often that, “Marriage is the hardest work I’ve ever loved.” And it has been. Still is. Walking down the aisle was the easy part, comparatively speaking. Walking, hiking and climbing these last 18 years has been the hard and lovely work of life together. As with any climb, you have to plan for the unexpected—and the only way to plan for what you don’t know is coming is to keep your eyes on Jesus and your heart fully engaged with his. He’s your only hope of making the climb all the way to the top.

18 years ago we said, “We will…” We will work together, we will walk together, we will climb together, we will fight for our marriage together, we will laugh together, we will forgive generously, we will plan and dream together, and will go for a hike instead of telling one another to take a hike (it happens).

It was hard work to get to the top of that mountain this morning. Sometimes we walked side-by-side and sometimes apart, sometimes he was ahead and sometimes I was ahead. But we kept climbing. We got to the top of that mountain and said, “I still choose you” because the view from here—from where our lives are this very moment, was well worth the climb.

Keep climbing.

3 years ago I posted something I thought was worth posting again. For somebody out there about to start the climb or ready to give up… this is for you [“Marriage— The Hardest Work I’ve Ever Loved”]. Worth the read.

xo – P