Anniversaries

Anniversaries are funny things. Sometimes we make a big deal out of them, sometimes, we don't. Some people want flowers, jewelry, presents...particularly to mark the milestone ones. I just had two milestone anniversaries last week.

Five years ago, on February 10th, 2004, I was admitted into Rex hospital for nine days. I had an emergency chest tube put in. One lung completely filled with fluid. Cancer had returned with a vengance. In my chest wall, in my lymph nodes, in my pelvis, rib, shoulder. Stage IV had come to call.

So when February 14, 2004 rolled around, I was in pajamas, a tube in my chest, hair unwashed,
pale, angry, depressed, feeling betrayed that after all we had done IT was back anyway, and there I was in the hospital. Eating bad food, watching bad TV and missing my 20th wedding anniversary with my husband. That's right. My 20th wedding anniversary was spent in the hospital. That year, I got jewelry.

So last week, I passed my five year since reccurence anniversary. It was mentioned, everyone smiled. I also had my 25th wedding anniversary. This time I was away for the weekend with my husband....showing dogs, seeing old friends, going out to dinner. I did not get jewlery...I did not even want it. When he asked me what I wanted as a gift I could think of nothing I didn't already have. The greatest anniversary gift ever had already been given to me by God and modern medicine and all the people in my boat. Hard to believe, yet not hard to believe that I made it to this milestone.

Hard to believe that I would be perfectly happy with the gift of time. Time to enjoy my husband's company. Time to watch him across a room of people a realize what an amazing man he is. Time to watch him savor authentic Cuban food at a small restaurant we found for our anniversary dinner. We didn't talk about it much, but we knew how absolutely fortunate we were to be together at this place and time, living this life, still loving each other. I'm telling you girls....time and appreciation and recognizing how lucky you are to be alive and have a good man and to be able to cross a milestone anniversary.....there is nothing better, nothing made by the hands of man, that could ever top that gift.

That's what anniversaries should be. A date, a moment that you appreciate the time you have been given. Whether it's time to be alive or time to be together in a marraige. All time is a precious, precious gift. When you look at an anniversary in that kind of light, it doesn't become about the presents or flowers...it is all about appreciation and gratitude and love.....and recognition of how you were blessed enough to be given such a gift. Just so you know that I know where my gift this year did come from, the apostle James will tell you:

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights,...."
James 1:17