Gratitude

This November I want to focus on being grateful. I have so much to be grateful for, as do we all, and yet sometimes, life’s troubles seem to overwhelm my sense of gratitude. I’m going to treat gratitude as a muscle that needs exercise to maintain (or increase) it’s strength. So, here it goes.

This November I am grateful for my darling husband.

Even with all the ridiculousness he puts me through. The choosing to be an actor rather than taking a traditional path, the “it’ll all work out” attitude, and the fact that he sometimes has to be reminded to laugh at my really awesome jokes. I truly am grateful for the amazing man I married.

In a world where men are often portrayed as the perpetrators and philanderers who are indifferent, slothful, and rude… I am glad to have Ben. He is a wonderful example of what men are. Don’t let Hollywood fool you into thinking that there are “no good men left in this world.” There are so many amazing, faithful, kind, considerate, involved, thoughtful, devoted, and yes, even handsome, gentlemen out there! For all the single ladies… don’t give up on the ideal. Don’t settle for less than someone who treats you like a daughter of God. Know who you are. Act accordingly. And God will bless you to find each other.

Marrying him has been the best decision of my life. He treats me like I am a daughter of God. He calls me beautiful. He makes sure I take care of myself. He speaks kindly to me and commands that same respect from others as well. He treats me like his greatest treasure.

We’ve had good times and we’ve had really tough moments. What I hate the most is when people judge him by the way we, as a family, live. According to society’s standards of success, Ben is often judged harshly. I mean… we don’t eat out much at all. We don’t “shop” unless we have an immediate and important need. We make do with what we have and we make fun times happen in spite of “missing out” on what “everyone else” is doing. We don’t book vacations every year, go back to school shopping or buy elaborate gifts for all our relations for birthdays or holidays. We don’t buy tickets to the shows or concerts, go to the movies, or Build-a-Bear. We have started to not even be invited to functions because of this… which hurts a tad. But I guess… when we don’t go, not inviting us is an act of kindness? … Who knows. And sadly enough… who is the one that get the most criticism from our lifestyle and our choices? He does.

I have started to feel less and less inclined to open up about who I am and what my husband does for a living. I’ve almost started telling people that my husband is a marketing manager. I mean… he markets himself as an actor, right? I just can’t stand the judgement… and the follow up questions when they hear that my husband is an actor. The assumption that Ben is any less than the amazing person that he is grates on my nerves.

And yet… I am so proud of him. I am grateful that in a time where there is so much fear of failure… Ben has no fear. He knows, with a faith that I only aspire to have, that God has a plan for us. He knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he will succeed and be able to provide amply for our family. He has a light within him that shines through the darkest of trials to reveal hope. He exudes strength and goodness.

So… as ridiculously lovey dovey as this sounds, I am so grateful for my husband. I grow more fond of him every day. He is the absolute love of my life. I love watching him age, because I get to grow old with him. I’m a sucker for the rich timbre in his voice. I love watching him hold our beautiful babies. I love most of all the soft look we share from across the room when we are both so proud of our children. For richer or for poorer. Through thickness and thin. Through good times and bad. I am glad to have picked him to spend eternity with.