The sagging skin; expanding waistlines
The graceless snoring, the awkward belches and toots
The threat of looming cognitive decline and emotional wreckage;
The anger, the disappointment
The hurt, the resentment
Each of you tethered to your end of the story
In nearly two decades of marriage, how do two lost, bruised souls find a home?
Cautiously treading into the world of romance again,
Trusting your ancestors who taught you that forgiveness is the secret sauce
Of love that may be boring and old-fashioned
But, one that is built to last long
Like a fortress that has witnessed several wars, but holds ground
You explore new rules of flirting
Love in your 40s is, buying magnesium for him
As he books you your annual medical check-up
You see glimpses of the 20yo you first fell in love with;
As he lets you adopt another rescue kitty
And cracks lousy jokes to watch you laugh
You stop running from awkward conversations at the dining table
His invitation to have that one meal of the day together doesn’t feel punitive
Your heart starts humming again as he learns to brew you your cup of coffee;
While you understand, making him his cup of chai is not servitude
It’s you discovering that there’s nothing embarrassing about your desire for intimacy;
And that demanding more isn’t selfish or, shameless
As you decode his language of silence, he adapts to your bustling energy
Building a new abode for your perfect imperfections;
You learn together, what happens outside the bed determines what happens in it.
Oohlala! <3
Sanobar what an ode to love in the 40s and beyond.. here you write for all of us.. I am copy pasting and sending this to my husband today.