For most Americans, Sept. 11 is a date we remember the worst attack on our homeland since Pearl Harbor. For me, it is a time to recall the luckiest day of my life—Sept. 11, 1982. Yes, 36 years ago my bride and I became partners for life, and these years have been the happiest of my life.
My bride is caring, loving, honest, supportive, intelligent, moral, modest—the list of positive adjectives could take up an entire column. I often tell her she is nothing other than everything in my life. I am every bit as much in love with her now as the day we became one.
There is a song called “Something Wonderful” in the great musical “The King and I.” The lyrics and melody, especially when sung by Barbra Streisand, bring tears to my eyes every time. Many women might well think these words about their lesser halves, and I certainly can imagine my understanding and accepting bride being one of them:
This is a man who thinks with his heart
His heart is not always wise
This is a man who stumbles and falls
But this is a man who tries
This is a man you’ll forgive and forgive
And help protect, as long as you live
He will not always say
What you would have him say
But now and then he’ll do
Something
Wonderful
He has a thousand dreams
That won’t come true
You know that he believes in them
And that’s enough for you
You’ll always go along
Defend him where he’s wrong
And tell him, when he’s strong
He is wonderful
He’ll always need your love
And so he’ll get your love
A man who needs your love
Can be wonderful
And so my bride, if the truth be told, you are truly the wonderful one. Happy anniversary!