Page 13 - Mega Bridal Issue

Commitment

By Deanna Bates

A long marriage between two people is really a
series of relationships. As you grow and develop
as individuals, and as a couple, your relationship
changes. The marriage you have at 5 years, 10
years, 20 years and beyond will likely be vastly
different than the honeymoon phase of your new
marriage.
My marriage has weathered the seasons of
change. The “spring” of marriage was the new
marriage where we got to know each other as a
couple and giddily began our journey as husband
and wife. The “summer” of our marriage was a
busy season of school, careers, our first house
and meshing our changing expectations. Fall
blew into our marriage with a cold wind of inju-
ries, deaths, infertility and frustrated silences as
we navigated the marital dance of connect and
retreat. Frustrations mounted and tempers flared,
but still we hung on – sometimes to each other,
sometimes just to the marriage itself while we
waited for the storm to pass and the clearing to
come.
Ahh, but when winter arrived, it was a feeling of
coming home. After many years of marriage and
weathering the winds of change came the season
of comfort. No matter how stormy my life is, I
know that I have the fireplace blazing at home. It
is waiting for me to curl up by its warmth and feel San Diego Woman
nurtured and protected. My favorite season of
marriage is a season earned by love, experience,
joy and even disappointment. It is the season of
winter that is my reward. I welcome it gratefully. 13

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