Cherished On a Tuesday--And Every Day

 

"Do you have someone who reminds you to breathe? If you would like to share them with us here, or if you have another gift you want to celebrate on this Tuesday, I invite you to link up. If you have questions, check out the information on my Tuesdays Unwrapped page. If you are reading in a reader, you may have to click over to see the links and I really hope you read at least a few. So happy here on my favorite day of the week. 

Join us?"

 After reading some of the posts, I decided to link up with Emily at chatting at the sky.  Seems like I run in circles most days and don't really accomplish anything.  That also means I don't stop and notice the love and beauty all around me.  It's too easy to see the bad stuff, the hard times, the things to complain about.  And believe me I do more than my share of complaining.

One of the things I tend to overlook and take for granted is my dear husband.  I was never one of those girls with a laundry list of qualities I was looking for in a husband, but I couldn't have designed a better match for me.  Somebody 'up there' knew just what I needed and sent this precious man my way.  Our finding each other is a story in itself and one I'll save for another day. 

When we married, we said the traditional vows--I wonder if we even heard the words.  One part that has stuck in my head and in my heart all these many years is the one that goes "to love and to cherish".  Cherish.

Have you ever thought about the meaning of that word?  Love is easy.  But cherish?  Here's what the dictionary says:

–verb (used with object)

1

to hold or treat as dear; feel love for

2.

to care for tenderly; nurture

3.

to cling fondly
 

—Synonyms
 Cherish, foster, harbor imply giving affection, care, or shelter to something. Cherish  suggests regarding or treating something as an object of affection or as valuable. Foster implies sustaining and nourishing something with care, esp. in order to promote, increase, or strengthen it. 

This describes my husband to a T.  He has always been my rock, my anchor, my harbor in the storm.  Together we've faced poverty, surgeries, depression, debt, the loss of a parent, and the loss of a child.  Through all this, we've clung to each other and the love that began 35 years ago has strengthened and grown.  I picture it as a vine that started small and tender, then grew and is now thick and deeply rooted.

Are you cherished?  I hope so.