Happy Anniversary to me!
Today is my wedding Anniversary. It would have been my 18th. I guess it still is, legally anyway. I look forward to the day when November 2nd doesn’t have any other meaning than being a couple of days past Halloween and a couple of days away from election day.
I talk about being divorced in my comedy a lot more now. It’s much more comfortable for me to do so than it used to be. It’s just another form of self defecating humor. It’s innocent and it helps take the sting out of the pain. That’s the most amazing thing about comedy or any art, for that matter.
After a show, I do feel a tinge of remorse when I meet a young couple who is engaged or recently married. I always feel compelled to tell them that marriage is great, it’s a wonderful thing and I am sure it is going to work out for them, making some sort of joke about me in the process. It’s weird because I never feel compelled to say this to someone who has been married a while. I know they get it.
The young married couple is full of hope. Those with a few years behind them haven’t lost hope but it is grounded in the reality of building a life together – the good and the bad.
Officially, prior to separation, I was married a bit over 16 1/2 years. That’s a worthy investment and not an insignificant amount of time – for either of us. I am so grateful that my kids were already well into activities and friends when it ended because it mitigated losing any further time during those early formative years (not that these are not formative, as well.)
On this anniversary of sorts, rather than feel bad or upset, I am choosing to focus on the fact that 18 years ago, I took a chance, not settling but not retracting due to fear, either, that produced two amazing kids. Today is an anniversary of what started out as an early step in the journey of my two kids. It is something to be celebrated but I’m still thinking of putting my wedding album up on eBay.
Until next time,
Marc