To Gina On Our Tenth Anniversary

It has been a wild ride! And I would not trade this decade of happiness together for anything in the world. Every moment has been priceless—well, there may have been a few days we would not want to repeat when we were carving out a farm in the Appalachian wilderness, but still, I would not trade them for anything.

From our first home, the tiny loft apartment on 2nd and Congress in Austin overlooking the Colorado River, to several months being homeless, to the farm, and now our cozy little beach cottage—every place we’ve lived (all 12 of them, yikes!) has been filled with peace and love.

Sat. Sept. 22, 2012, 6:30 pm Leander, Texas

The Wedding Vows We Exchanged That Day

“We promise to carry each other gently and hold each other securely,

We promise not only to desire each other but to cherish each other,

We promise to be fully present to each other in the good times and the bad.

We enter this sacramental time with an understanding,

gained from a jubilee of life,

which has taught us unexpected gifts come not to those who are good or perfect, but to those who are authentic and whole,

And so we resolve to reveal the deepest layers of our body, mind, soul, and spirit to each other.

We resolve to arise and come away with each other as we paint together the canvas of our lives.”

Over the past ten years, we have discovered that we share these common interests—and the list seems to be forever growing.

Whiskey, cigars, craft cocktails, speakeasy, cooking together, long conversations, torrid sex, making love, snuggling, touch, massage, exercise, travel, cruising, Caribbean, beaches, nude beaches, isolated beaches, Italy, museums, art, music, dancing, Broadway musicals, Dunedin, sunshine, sunrise, sunsets, animals, cheesecake, Oreos, Mexican food, Italian food, Spanish food, French food, Cuban food, Greek food, Interior Design, Landscape Design, coffee, long coffee hours, long cocktail hours, long walks, sleeping naked, sandals, reading to each other, jacuzzis, biking, authentic friends, traditions, skiing, big mountains, Democratic politics, liberalism, organization, empathy, new things, curiosity, new ideas, working together, playing together, cheerleaders for each other, pheromones, Humanism, creativity, nature, movies, television series, equality, inclusivity, timeliness, old trees, porches, peaceful home, mutual respect, mutual admiration, freedom, love, sensuality, Greece, Spain, England, Provence, spas, fine dining, casual dining, forests, clean sheets, flora and fauna, Canada, Napa Valley, wine, old wine, philosophy, existentialism, recounting dreams, and so much more…

I once read about Thomas Chapman, the father of TE Lawrence (better known as Lawrence of Arabia). He was an English noble who fell in love and began an affair with a common woman, Sarah Lawrence, their governess. He left behind his home, lands, title, and money to live in poverty with the woman he had fallen hopelessly in love with. They were together for almost forty years and never regretted the decision.

Our story is eerily similar. Our decision to be together caused the loss of our friends, most of our family, and our estates. For a while, we were homeless and virtually penniless. Yet, to this day, over eleven years later, that complex decision was the best either of us has ever made. Ten years of marriage and every moment priceless. Here’s to ten more!