This is the third Christmas that Julia have spent together since we started dating, but the second since we married in April, 2006. As I sit here in the overnight hours of Christmas Eve, having enjoyed Julia’s orange chicken dinner that she made specifically for the occasion, I’ve come to realize that I’m really very happy in this relationship. I know, this is probably something I should be considering on something a little more appropriate, such as an anniversary, but the truth of it is that I thought of it today. And it wasn’t because I got some awesome food to eat, either… though that was a bonus.
I think there are times when it hits you like a ton of bricks. Maybe you’ve been in a relationship for so long that it becomes like second nature, or maybe you’ve been in it so long that you begin to take the other person for granted. You know, I never believed in the whole taking the other for granted. I think it really has a lot to do with the fact that you let someone become such an integral part of your life, that you become accustomed to their presence as a matter of fact, rather than simply ignoring them. How many of us can look at our respective SOs and say that we don’t appreciate everything they do for us? That’s not taking them for granted. That’s recognizing that they make a major contribution to our lives. And so, I try to take a moment each day to remind myself how lucky I am to have her with me. I try to tell her that, when I can. At least once a day, if not then twice the next. A simple, “I love you,” or perhaps, “I’m very happy that we’re together” can do a lot to communicate that to her.
So, on this night, as she’s sleeping in the other room, I want to take a moment to tell her here, in front of the Internet, that I love her. And I do appreciate everything she does for me. And that I’m thinking of her always, but moreso for Christmas. After all, I’ve been told many times that it’s the thought that counts.
But just in case… I hope she enjoys Mario Party DS as a small token of that love. 🙂