TRUE STORY

My Friend Thought I Shouldn't Get Married

This is what happened next

The fairy on the top of our tree. Photo by author.

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.”

This is a description of love from a young child. It's one of many quotes that appeared in an online article 14 years ago.

In 2011, when I told my friends I was getting married for the second time, one, in particular, a five-element acupuncturist, said she thought I was making a mistake and asked me why I wanted to marry again.

So I sent her a letter.

I've kept a copy in my filing cabinet. Sometimes, when I feel irritated by my husband, Roger, I return to that letter to remind myself why I married him.

I reached for it this morning just after we had an argument about who is responsible for sending Christmas cards to his family. I share it here.

Why I want to marry Roger (dated 24/11/11)

Dear G,

I've said this often: "Love" is a fuzzy word. It can mean so many different things.

A group of young children came up with these definitions:

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather…