January 24, 2007 by Amy

Happy Birthday M!

Today is M’s birthday. The anniversary of the birth of my husband, best friend, confidante. My rock…the person who keeps me grounded while also raising me higher than anyone else could.

My husband is, unequivically, one of the finest men in the world. He is a good person. A genuine, true person with the highest integrity. He is honest, almost to a fault. He is kind, generous, and caring. He thinks nothing of sacrificing for his loved ones, or for anyone he feels needs help.

My husband is not one of those men who thinks it’s macho to never show his feelings. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he gets tears in his eyes when something moves him. I will never forget how he cried as I cried and Mom cried when we had to put our beloved family dog to sleep, even though he’s not a “dog person” and wasn’t particularly fond of ours. He cried not because he was going to miss Abby, but because he respected how much we loved her, and how much we were going to miss her, and because we, people he loves, were hurting.

My husband, with each passing year of his life, continues to keep his heart and soul young. He is still mesmerized by dry ice, and will hunker down on the kitchen floor with a glass of water to “play” with it. He loves remote control vehicles, whether they roll, float or fly. He loves science fiction movies, no matter how unrealistic or horribly written they might be. And he loves Christmas lights. Everyone knows how he loves Christmas lights.

Words cannot express how I feel about M. I feel foolish even trying. Rarely in your life do you come across someone who is as special as he is. I thank God every day that not only do I have the chance to know him, but I have the chance to be married to him, and to share every single day of his life.

This is one of my most favorite quotes of all time:
“To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived – this is to have succeeded.”

It’s by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it inspires me every day, just like M does.

In my humble opinion, by this definition, M has succeeded already, at the tender age of 35.

Happy Birthday, Husband. I love you.