Thursday, January 22, 2015

This One's for My Sean




There are two very specific things that I remember about the morning after Sean’s 20th birthday; he looked absolutely awful and I couldn’t wait to make fun of him. He’d been out late the night before, imbibing too much with his friends, and as he lay moaning on a table in our drama classroom, blocking his vision from the nasty lights with one arm, I took great joy in teasing him. To be honest, it made me happier than was appropriate since I was dating someone else at the time, and I always tried to ignore the butterflies that danced in my stomach every time I talked to him.

A year later, less 2 days, at a surprise party for Sean, thrown for him by yours truly, he held my hair back as I spent some quality time with the toilet after having imbibed too much with his friends. (Side note, don’t drink with Sean’s friends.) He didn’t scold me as I whined. He didn’t tease me, even though I deserved it. I had never felt so cared for which is probably why I knew that it was the perfect time to tell him, for the first time, that I loved him. Thankfully he returned the sentiment in kind and continued to sit with me until I felt better. 


Today, Sean is 40. For the last 20 years we’ve learned, grown, embraced, fought, changed, loved, challenged, struggled, cried, cared, wondered, hoped, dreamed, laughed, celebrated, and grieved together. We’ve moved seven times, (twice across the country) bought a house, a car, between the two of us worked at least 30 jobs, and are now raising the most incredible daughter. We are healthy, have lots of friends, and good families. Life, in short, has been and continues to be good to us.

Last night, when Sean was chatting with a friend, I overheard him paraphrasing Tolkien. (Yes Sir, I was dropping eaves.) He said something along the lines of having once read that Tolkien said that you don’t really know that you’ve married the right person until you’ve been together for around 20 years, walked the long road with that person. For myself, I knew Sean was the right person for me, was my forever the moment I first asked him on a date. The last 20 years have only confirmed and strengthened this certainty. He is the most giving person I've even met. He is very intelligent and a deep thinker. He is loving, absolutely hilarious, more talented than he'll ever admit, and incredibly brave. The longer we walk our road together, the longer I want our road to be. He’s my best friend, my life, my everything. Every day I feel a true sense of happiness that he is mine and ever beautifully mystified, but grateful, that he chose me to walk the long road with me.
Happy 40th Birthday to my love, my heart, my forever reason to dance.

Happy 40th Birthday to my Sean.

1 comment:

  1. Awwwwwwwwwwww! seriously that was so sweet and well written Cin! You guys rock. Happy Birthday Sean, you guys are really so very lucky to have each other and all you have!!!

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