It is Valentines Day - a time to celebrate true love.
A little over forty-one years years ago I moved to Vancouver Island. I was in my senior year of high school. I started my own business that same year painting signs. Shortly after we moved to the Island I met this charming young lady. I dated her a couple of times (Janis was the first girl I ever dated) and I immediately knew she was the one. I asked her to marry me shortly after. But Janis wasn't as sure as I was and didn't say yes. But I just knew and being a patient guy waited a couple of weeks before asking her once more. As I recall it took a couple more tries before she said yes. We were young, very young and we waited three more years before we said our vows and started our life together in June of 1974.
What an exciting journey it has been! We've been partners in life and in business ever since. After working outside the house for a year or so Janis chose to be a stay at home mom. I've worked out of our house most of those years meaning we've spent a great deal of time together, more than most couples. We've built houses and businesses together, worked on the road when necessary, travelled many tens of thousands of miles with our two kids in tow. We worked together and played together all these years. We still hold hands and we like to be close to each other. We both believe in true and lasting love and the hard work to make it so.
Has it always been easy?
I think Janis summed it up one day when she told me... "I'll ALWAYS love you but some days I don't like you very much." Life is like that on occasion. But the good days (and there are so many) more than make up for those occasional 'other' days.
This year we will celebrate our thirty-eighth wedding anniversary. I look forward to a whole bunch more!
The other day we were sitting together and Janis told me NOT to get her anything for Valentines Day. I won't. Instead I'll show her my love in other ways. I'll make sure the dishwasher is empty - without being asked. I'll cook her a nice supper, of her favorite food. And I'll do my best to not do things that I know bother her. It's how we show love and respect to each other - not with something silly like a box of chocolates. Love needs to happen 365 days a year - not just on Valentines Day.
Just the same I'll wish Happy Valentines Day to the love of my life.
-grampa dan