Learning to love

I love you
yet I don’t know how to love you
with the fullness and completeness
you deserve.
I love you
with a quiet sense of knowing
I belong by your side,
yet my expressions of love
seem clumsy and inadequate.
And I back away from
gushing, heartfelt sentiments
that bring forth tears.
I love you
and want to tell you
I am better for being by your side,
I am stronger from working with you,
I am kinder from receiving your generosity
I am gentler from seeing your gentleness.
I am glad we met
and friendship eyes
were washed away by loving eyes.
I am glad you see my foibles and uncharitable thoughts 

and love me anyway.
I am glad we dance together
and journey together,
and yet the winds blow space between us
so we do not stunt one another’s growth.
I love you
and I love that our being together
has provided a stable foundation
for our family to grow and know love.
I am glad that after twenty-five years
of being together
we have fun and laugh and
learn from each other
and surprise each other.
I am still learning to love you
and the process makes me very happy.
 

© 3 September 2013