Peter and I were married in midsummer on a beautiful day at the end of July. Every year we celebrated our anniversary on July 31 by re-doing our vows in many different places and circumstances. But after we built “Hearts’ Delight” cottage in 2011-2012, we almost always celebrated our anniversary there, often with Peter in his shorts and me clutching a wild flowers bouquet the girls had gathered.
By the winter of 2017, we knew it was highly unlikely Peter would “make it” to our anniversary that summer. He suggested we celebrate our “half-anniversary” and I agreed. I found out he already had an anniversary gift for me (a ring with 7 stones, one each for the 4 of us and our 3 pets) as well as a birthday gift for my next birthday in October. My gift to him was the wonderful painting of our cottage (by Dylan Swan) I had commissioned in the fall, long before we knew he was sick.
I wrote him this poem to accompany it.
Before your hug resurrected me
I was heir only to shifting sands. I carried my hearth within me. afraid to set it down
Seasons turned, aspens trembled, pines grew tall Family came together and blew apart. My only constant a yearning for home
But now sun shines on water
Laughter rings through the forest
And I, in my cathedral of joy and timbers
Am whole and healed forever
Our babies rock in the cradle you built them
Your red canoe brought us all to shore
Never to be adrift again
“I want you to have your own place” you said
But don’t you understand?
You are the heart-shaped rock on which our house is built
And always will be.
To my Darling Petey January 31, 2017
