20 years.
20 years ago today, a beautiful 25-year-old woman trusted her heart to me. not just for a day, or a month, or a year.
but for a lifetime.

before that day, it was uncertain if i would even be trustworthy of such a gift.
i was scared. i overthought things.
i ran. i came back.
but through all of that, one thing was clear—we loved being around one another.
and i knew i didn’t want that to end.
apparently she did as well.

there are times when i have cherished Jennifer’s heart.
other times when i’ve neglected it. ignored it.
stomped on it with callous words.

but it was never taken back.
it has always been entrusted to me.
and i hope that over the next 20 years, i will learn to carry it with more compassion, more understanding, more peace.

sometimes you realize the depth of a gift years after it was given.
you realize that it has more meaning.
more complexity.
more value.
and that is the gift of time.
because people are mysteries to be explored and uncovered over the expanse of years.

it takes 20 years just to wade through all the muck in someone’s life and to go through experiences that show you the inner workings of your spouse. now, it’s time to build on what we’ve learned.

that is the adventure. that is the intrigue.
that is the depth.
that is the gift.
happy anniversary, jennifer walker!