I remember when I went back home in '98 to be matron of honor in my BFF's wedding. I had been in the military in NC. We had never been apart by geographical distant for such a long time. I missed her something terrible and I think we both had begun to grow into the people we were destined to become.
I hadn't met the man she was to marry. My first encounter with him was at the airport. He seemed like a nice enough guy, he was white and I didn't think KC would EVER marry white man. She had ALWAYS talked about having obviously mexican/native american children. Her biracial background had always caused her to question where she stood. She swore her children would not live that.
I remember we hung out a lot prior to the wedding. I had only been married a short time. My marriage was in a very bad place. KC had always been the romantic type, love will conquer all, love everlasting type. I didn't talk about my hubster AT ALL, but I talked ( I guess too much) about my best friend Juan. I was sitting across from her fiance' when he asked me why I talked about Juan and not my husband. KC looked at me, her eyes begging me to be gentle with him
(she was always nice to strays) I took a minute and then I smiled and told him...I talk about Juan so much because he is the most important man in my life right now. I thought the fiance' would pass out right there at the table. He tried to recover and then he said...but you're married. As if that was all the explanation that was needed. I smirked ready to break it down for him, but KC looked so afraid. I wanted her to be happy with this guy. So I told him his words were words of someone who OBVIOUSLY wasn't married to MY husband.
KC and talked later and she asked me why I had gotten married? I told her I loved him, but love wasn't always enough. She got this look on her face as if to say it would be different for her that love would be enough.
It's been almost ten years and guess what...it wasn't, not even close.
I know before I got married I would look at married people and wonder why their marriages seems so difficult. I placed blame and shook my head, they just hadn't married the right person.
I knew my marriage was gonna be different...it wasn't.
It takes a lot of work to make a marriage last, it takes more than love...it takes courage.
Courage to love through the bad times. Courage to lay yourself open and admit it just might be YOUR issues that are fucking things up, or at least adding to the strain. It takes courage to forgive and take love for what it is...a gift.