One Year Anniversary

One year ago today, my husband and I were standing in the sun at Olive Park in downtown Chicago. The expansive skyline wrapped the horizon behind us and skyscraper tops pricked the bright blue sky.

Bringing him to Chicago was like sharing a final secret part of myself. We stood there, thousands of miles from home, quietly facing each other. His hands gently clasped mine. We gazed at each other, the water that collected in his eyes made my own tears heavier. Slowly, one or two broke loose and fell down my cheeks. Although a handful of people collected on the grass ten feet from where we were standing, we didn't seem to notice. We barely even noticed the short wrinkled man standing before us in his jet black robe, solemly sputtering words I can't remember.

It seemed that it was just the two of us. Promising to love each other for the rest of our lives. Offering our strength, companionship, and futures. Offering up our very selves. I knew when I said the words that I meant them more than anything. I had never spoken more truthfully. I knew that even during the inevitable times that it might seem hard, I would consciously make the effort to love him.

That night we shared our first married meal at the top of the Hancock Building. Being up so high, it was as if we were taking our bodies physically closer to the elevation where we emotionally felt. We ate our fancy dinner, breathless from our own happiness. Below us, the city carried out. The Navy Pier ferris wheel spun slowly and a trail of headlights crawled along Lake Shore Drive. The beach park where we had just been standing stood out like a bright green and yellow portal, connecting the endless flat lake to the jagged, grey array of buildings.

I had always loved that spot, the space between the horizontal lake and the vertical city. The space where nature gently met the capabilities of mankind. Where waves lapped the shore as if offering a handshake or a nod to the bustling city. The space between two worlds. The perfect spot to exchange vows and transition from old to new.

I can't believe it has been a year already. At the same time, it feels like our lives have been entwined forever. I can't imagine life without him or how I got along without sharing his daily presence. I loved him a year ago, but now I don't just love him, I live him. We now embodied one unit. A unit that is love-giving and life giving. A unit that will soon expand to include one more. The simple creation and formation of a family is something I never thought twice about except to realize that it existed. But it's an incredible thing to experience. My favorite adventure yet.