I have come to a revelation today; Well, not so much a revelation I suppose. It's really more of a confirmation of sorts. It's made me feel pretty special, lucky, fortunate, worried and stressed at the same time...I'll explain.
I've just attended an event revolving around one of my hobbies held a 5 hour drive from home. From about a week away from the event the weather looked like it was going to be very hot. As it turned out the weather man didn't get it wrong as it was baking-hot all weekend. The ambient temperature in the town was 42C (about 107F) and at the location of the event it was around 46. The event was held in a disused limestone quarry and so the UV (and heat) reflected around with fierce intent. It was not simply uncomfortable, it was almost unbearable.
When I decided to attend the event my wife asked me if it was appropriate for her to come with me. I said it would be completely fine although she may get board watching the event. Her response was that she wanted to attend to support me and to be with me which meant a great deal to me. So, we planned the weekend away.
When the weather forecast came out confirming the extreme heat I offered my wife the opportunity to stay home. She declined.
Throughout the event (which involved a lot of physical activity and a lot of concentration) my wife kept me supplied with cold water, wet towels and food. She also helped to reset the props used in the sport between stages and also helped other competitors where possible. She carried my gear between stages, not all of it, but the lighter stuff, helped me get my kit on and make sure I had every little thing I needed to perform at my best. She did all of this without any complaint about the heat, about boredom or with no expectation of anything in return. She even went around the entire event with our camera and snapped images of the event for me knowing I'd want to do a steemit post about it.
My wife and I have been together for 30 years and in that time she has been a massive support to me in any hobby I have chosen. I've raced go-karts, played American Football, done shooting sports (which was the event we were at over the weekend) and have even trekked on the Kokoda trail in Papua New Guinea among many other things...And through it all she has been there to support me. Nurse me when I've been injured (physically or emotionally), congratulated me and chastised me when required...All without argument, complaint or disgruntlement.
The revelation I spoke of earlier in my post...A realisation maybe?
Driving home last night, over the 5 hours it took to reach home, I thought about the event I attended and the fact that it was made so much more enjoyable to have my wife there. I know many guys who would rather go on a blokes-trip without their wives using the opportunity to let their hair down and run-amok. For me I feel happier sharing my life with my wife. Sure, we spend time apart however I enjoy her company so much that I prefer to be together with her. So many people commented over the weekend about how fortunate I was to have her. I am. I know it. I felt so proud to have her there when they announced my result and subsequent placing in the competition.
We have spent a lot of time together, my wife and I, and I can truly say she is my best friend. She is supportive of me, honestly proud of my achievements and fiercely loyal to me and our relationship. She enjoys seeing me succeed and has always offered measured and valued advice when required, in my hobbies and professional life. We are a team, a unit, and in my opinion are unbreakable. I won't let anything come between us. We have each other's backs.
In the last couple of weeks I have learned my wife has some medical concerns that she has been having tests for and that scares me. She is ok, at least we think so, but I am concerned for her. I guess I'm a little selfish as well though because I think of myself... You see, I don't work very well without her and the thought of that freaks me out. We have been together since I was 17 and a half years old and as an (almost) 48 year old just can't understand how I could be without her.
We are getting older and have had the most rewarding lives together so far although with getting older comes thoughts of mortality, the end. Sure, we are a long way from there I hope, but when my wife owned up to the medical tests and some of the issues she has been dealing with I was left with a heavy heart. At the same time it made me think about how amazing our lives together have been and how much life we have ahead of us. We have plans, most of which involve living our lives by design and our own creation and to enjoy every moment we have been given.
We will work through whatever life throws our way; Always have. We are tough people, emotionally and physically and have a way of overcoming adversity, which we have had our share of. We value each other and would do anything for the other, willingly and selflessly. I have been honoured to have her at my side, in my corner, and feel like the luckiest man in the world..Because of her. Together we have forged a life and look forward to new horizons each day, week, month and year.
My mother once told me that "love is like a butterfly, hold on too tight and you'll crush it, and too loose and it'll fly away."I think my wife and I have it just right.
Design and create your ideal life, don’t live it by default
Heart image photo by Jamez Picard on Unsplash (thanks bro)