For twenty eight years,
he has been in my life.
So many seasons, months, days and hours.
Shared.
As I look in the mirror,
I see in my face,
those twenty eight years.
I am no longer a young teenager,
feisty, mouthy and full of ambition.
I see the dyed, almost purple, hair,
the sun spots,
and the wrinkles I refer to,
as my “laughter lines”.
I see someone that children would think of as “old”.
Yet when I look at my husband,
I do not see,
the face so obviously reflected in the mirror.
I do not see that his hair is no longer black,
nor do I see any sign of aging.
My eyes do not stop,
as they adjust to his superficial features.
Instead when he smiles,
I see the young man in his early twenties,
I first met whilst on holiday.
As he speaks,
I remember the early days of fun and much laughter,
when I shamelessly pursued him.
And I remember how I would feel,
when I would hear his gentle voice on the phone,
speaking with his singsong Cork accent.
An accent I had disliked prior to our meeting.
When he walks towards me,
my eyes are further deceived.
They never truly see,
the changes from youth to man,
that have taken place,
in those twenty eight years.
Instead I see his purposeful walk,
which I first really noticed,
on a lovely evening in October,
many years ago.
An evening when we were meeting up,
for the first time,
having returned from holidays,
where our story began.
I clearly see,
that evening when I saw him turn the corner,
by St Stephens Green Park,
and walk towards me.
That evening when he walked and half ran,
in my direction.
That evening when I saw him in the distance,
and my heart nearly burst in my chest.
That evening when I gave my soul,
to this relative stranger.
So today as I look critically in the mirror,
and see the face in front of me,
I hope his eyes are as deceitful as mine.
I hope they do not see what is before them,
but instead all that has gone before them.
As the years will hopefully continue to roll by,
I hope we can always be,
as fresh to each other as we once were.
And that for each other we will always be just a little bit blind.
photo credit: Brian Auer via photopin cc
photo credit: Candida.Performa via photopin cc
photo credit: pedrosimoes7 via photopin
My thoughts on a page. 
Old coots!
I hastened to add we are probably of a similar age!
Growing old gracefully together – that’s the name of the game Tric, sure you’re only in the baby stages compared to me – and it’s still good.
Chris.
Glad to hear it. Thankfully still enjoying it, regardless of age. I suppose sometimes I just can’t believe we have lived so long together as, I don’t know about him but I feel about 25!
Age is but a number. My family keep reminding me to act my age and not my shoe size – they have not fully explained what they mean so I just carry on.
🙂 I think that’s wise!
If I had a smiley I’d post it!!
it’s love, tric, that makes you blind to the outward appearance of your man and sees only the beauty that lies within him and the love for you that lights up his features when he gazes upon you
and, likewise, it’s his love of you that ensures that’ when he looks upon you, he forever sees the young girl you were when he first met you
[and it’s the experience and tact he has learnt – that comes of living with a woman for any length of time – that ensures he has the wisdom never to mention your fat arse !] 😆
Ha ha ha. I read a wealth of experience and tact in that wonderfully romantic comment of yours! I can tell you there are days when I wonder has he learned anything! 🙂
and seeing through the eyes of love is a wonderful view indeed. )
Makes me think of how my husband and I look at each other when we hear “What a cute granddaughter” 🙂 as we are the same age as some around here..having had my daughter in my late 30s. We take a closer look at each other when we hear that I think. 🙂 Then we are glad to be the age we are I think..13 years in a few days.. but we have know each other forever.
I love this. I wish I had your way with words as I feel the same about my husband.
Thank you. So glad you liked it. Feel free to “borrow it”. No problem.
I’m sure he sees you as the princess you were and still are:) Put a closeup picture of your laugh lines on here, and let me be the judge of it! 🙂
I’d have to tag it under horror! 🙂
I like how you see things.
I “like” that you like it.
His/your eyes see each other with love…no deceit there. Very nice.
Thanks a million. Some days we see this, I should do a follow up post where his eyes deceive him to not tidying up, etc.:)
This is such a beautiful tribute to love. While my husband and I have only been married for 10 yrs in May, much has changed and I feel the same way as your words when I look at him. This is just beautiful.
Ten years is no short time either. Congratulations. I am glad for you too your eyes deceive you.
This is so beautiful and inspiring! It’s great to know that this is possible after 28 years and 4 (?) children – wow!
I cannot believe we are together so long. Through all lifes ups and downs. Thank you and yes four children.
I love these words “but instead all that has gone before them, I hope they do not see what is before them”.
Life gets so much better when our eyesight fails and our hearts and souls take on the job. The G.O. is forever delighting me by assuring me he can’t see my grey hairs. I can’t miss his but they suit him. I look at he and I, both bespectacled, a little heavier than a glossy magazine would suggest is appropriate, dressed in our hopelessy matching daggy around the house clothes and think, this is wonderful 🙂
When togetherness works it really has so many positives. ( and a few small negatives too!) You painted a lovely picture here with your words.