Scenes From A Marriage
Most mornings start like this: I wake to my husband getting out of bed to prepare for work. Often, I’d beckon him to stay in bed just a little bit longer, savoring the quiet moments before the day begins. As he leaves, he’d press a kiss (or a few) on my cheek before I inevitably doze off once again. I find myself sending an “I miss you na” text a mere 10 minutes or so after he’s left the house.
By nighttime, I eagerly await his return, impatiently counting down the minutes until his arrival. His presence never fails to breathe life into what can be a mundane day. I always remark that his hugs “take the pagod away”. It’s in these simple moments that I find the essence of our life together.
On weekends, we make up for lost time. Because Martin has a typical workday while I work in the evening, it often means that our time with each other is limited. Yet, every moment we share brings solace in each other’s company.
There are nights when we lie in bed, talking about everything and nothing. We giggle over how awe-inspiring it still is to think that we’re married, and likewise, share our incredulity over news that we may have read throughout the day. It’s in these moments, stripped of any distractions, that are simple but profound, and they make me grateful for the life we share.
Days ago, Martin shared that the best way to learn how to make a place one’s home is to learn and find what to love about it. His words resonate deeply as I reflect on how our life together has unfolded here. How can I not love a place that’s so dearly loved by the one whom I love? There’s a joy in discovering Toronto together and an excitement in seeing the city through Martin’s eyes. We’ve found comfort in planning out brand new adventures, exploring new hobbies, discovering hidden gems, and more.
As we continue to navigate this journey called marriage, I’m reminded of the profound beauty in life’s simple joys. And perhaps that’s the secret sauce to a great marriage. To love marriage in its entirety — in its mundanity, and even when it can get ugly. It’s learning to love what can otherwise be such simple moments. It’s in basking in awe even if we’re technically not newlyweds anymore. Marriage is such a gift, and the past 7 months have brought nothing but gratitude that it is Martin whom I get to share my life with.
