Special love warms the heart and soul

Today is a special day. It represents a date that's very close to my heart and reminds me of how lucky I really am.

Today marks the 4-years and 11-months that I have been blessed to have the love of my life, Jennifer, in my life.

As time passes, it becomes more and more important to cherish and appreciate the relationships in one's life. But having and growing a love relationship requires more than simply sharing warm, cozy, cuddly feelings or saying, "I love you," all the time or giving gifts or even holding one close.

It's hard work. Really hard at times too.

But it's worth the effort--the heartaches, the tears--the pain of miscommunicating...for it's the tough times that test the foundations of what you've got. It's the crises that bend the bonds of love you've forged. All the insecurities, the pettiness, the frustrations, and the fears that threaten to uproot that which you've worked so hard to create, nourish, grow, and deepen.

Yes, it's the "relating" part that counts for what's real between the love in my life and my heart. It's not the fact that we've been together for "such a long time" or that it's been "the longest I've ever been with someone" for each of us that makes it special.

No...our love becomes manifest through daily interaction. Love expresses itself through acts of selflessness and giving without expectation and through kindness and compassion...every day.

It cannot be static for once it stops growing, it starts dying.

I frequently remind myself how lucky and blessed I am and feel for having someone so special and wonderful in my life. Someone I can give all of me to; share all my talents with; be there completely in the moment for; and express love ever so deeply towards.

Indeed, how did I ever get so lucky to have her in my life?