Adam's wedding vows

Yesterday was our 17th wedding anniversary. Today I found Adam's vows in my Facebook memories:

Allison:

Today we pledge our lives towards a future that is larger than each of us. I go into this future excited and more than a little nervous.

First and foremost, I promise to always be your best friend, through all that life may hand to us. I will support you when you need it, whether you ask for it or not. I will accept your support when I need it, whether I ask for it or not.

I will always hold myself to the standard of being your best friend, as everything else follows from that. I will share everything with you, every day of my life and be eager for you to share your life for me. I will support your goals for yourself and for us as a married couple. I will laugh with you, cry with you, and dance with you. I will strive to improve myself as a person so that we may grow stronger every day and every year.

Allison, you have been my best friend for as long as I’ve known you and will work every day, through joy and sorrow, to strengthen our friendship; which is our strongest bond.

Lately

 

Today's writing

“The conference should be something,” my father said, then laughed. “But I can’t really tell you what.” 

It was a running joke between us, but it wasn’t really a joke. His security clearance was so high that he wasn’t allowed to tell us the majority of what he did – besides the umbrella theme of GPS – so we never knew exactly how he earned his money. We only knew that he did, and that we were subject to his whims and wills because of it. 

Still, I felt a dash of pride. “You’ve really built a career for yourself,” I said. “That’s awesome.” “Yes,” he said, and dark clouds passed over his eyes. “and you haven’t.”