True love. . .

On our 57th anniversary, my true love gave to me,
neither a partridge nor a pear tree,
but, three colorful pouches to slip into my beach tote, two notable new novels, one fancy book mark,
and all his love.

So it goes for our long and truly beautiful marriage, amazingly fruitful – going strong for almost six decades, four terrific kids, five fabulous grands, two busy lives, more memories than either one of us can recount – and still madly in love.

And yet, and yet, still with much to share, much to talk about.
So a random comment from a friend made me stop and think about a truly remarkable gift we have, and one that keeps giving.

Talk.

And not just talk about work, family, finances, health and well being, dinner, but talk about real issues that engage us, issues that may worry us, may even keep us up at night, or those that remind us of what is good and right in the world.

And we share.

Thoughts, feelings, opinions, differences, agreements, or not. Not a morning goes by without texts flying back and forth with articles to read or op eds to peruse, new books to note, maybe purchase, that often go from one bedside table to the other.

News and commentary, national or local, troubling or hopeful, tragic or inspiring.

Not a day when we don’t end up putting down screens or newsprint or books, to talk.

To read aloud a few words from an op ed, a resonant paragraph from a writer we admire, a few lines of Torah or wisdom from a philosopher. And then, sometimes argue, sometimes agree, sometimes simply lament or even applaud.

Court opinions, political commentary, features that shine a light on something we did not know, some that renew our faith in the world, some that leave us in despair. Others that fit the need to know, or want to know, the old journalistic credo.

But words that connect us in ways beyond our own personal lives to the larger world in multiple ways. Especially when we come from different points of view, when we strongly disagree on perspective, but take time to listen, to hear, to give ear, to another side. That sometimes may subtly change how we view an issue and sometimes reinforce our own perception but with the broader understanding that another take brings.

Lessons for us personally, and communally, professionally and politically, as we navigate a world riven by difference, loud, often vociferous sometimes angry voices, too much noise, not enough empathy, not enough radical listening, in the psychologist Carol Gilligan’s words, not enough hearing another’s story.

And so our early morning exchanges, that often become dinner conversation, with each other, with others, enrich our lives in so many ways.

So I’m feeling especially grateful now, for my live in partner, my true love, seeker of ways to see, to navigate, to more knowledgeably, meaningfully, compassionately, engage with the world.

And thankful, so very thankful, that the stars were aligned, and we met so many years ago, pledging our troth to each other, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse.

And never boring.