by Terry Marsh

Created on: February 12, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Being in love is accepting her for who she is, and knowing that she has accepted my changes too. It is growing together, not apart, but allowing each other the space to grow individually. Being in love never having to say I'm sorry, because I'd never do anything to be sorry about.

At this moment, as I glance from my keyboard, she's sitting in my favorite recliner with her legs crossed sipping green tea. She looks up from the pages of Home and Garden and smiles. After seven years, I still can't help but be overwhelmed by her smile.

She looks back to her pages, and I notice how gracefully she turns each page. She narrows her eyes and pulls the magazine closer as she reads something that catches her attention. She refuses to wear her glasses, but I love her with or without them.

I notice everything about her. The crease at the edge of her lips wasn't there two years ago. But I love it. She's been concerned about a new strand of gray in her hair. But I love that, too.

She looks into my eyes and smiles again. I inhale deeply, and realize that being in love is the breathless exhilaration I get when she looks at me in that way.

I'm in love with her because she believes in me; my thoughts, my dreams, my spiritual development, my ups, my downs, and my passions.

Being in love is believing in her dreams, too. And working together to make them all become reality.

Being in love is holding hands at the beach, watching the water change from blue to purple as the sun sets. It's finding harmony in the squawking of the gulls when other people find it annoying.

Being in love is walking through the mall arm-in arm, not caring that you're the oldest couple showing affection, or talking for hours about nothing in particular, for no other reason except because we enjoy each other.

Being in love is listening to her talk about her day, even when I'm tired or watching the game, and having discussions, not arguments, when disagreeing on issues.

It's the understanding her point of view, whether I agree with it or not, or calling her in the middle of the day just to say I love you.

Being in love is laughing together, crying together, living together and dying together. And knowing you would never be complete without her.

She looks up once again and asks what I'm writing. I smile and tell her that I want to spend every moment of the rest of my life with her, because never before have I felt more in love.

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