When my husband and I first met, we were amazed at how alike we were. Man, I would think, almost every day, I can't believe I met someone who thinks just like me! Whose beliefs are so similar to mine!
Five years of dating and twenty four years of marriage have elapsed and my husband and I are now amazed often at how different we are! A combination of growing together but separately, kids, and a career change for me have created these shifts, but really, I think we had always been somewhat different. We just didn't realize it in those early days because we were focused on the similar things. Intimate knowledge through the years showed us how unique we actually were.
But this is what is beautiful--that we are unique and distinct beings, and yet, we've managed to meld our lives together and create this mosaic of a marriage from all of our contrasting pieces.
This is not to say that we have no similarities. Of course we do, and I would say that we had to be similar in some very crucial areas--Christianity, child-rearing philosophies, and money management ideals. But our very cores are quite opposite--he is far more laid back than I am, and I am a rigid planner. He has learned to see some of life through my eyes as I have learned to see life through his, and in this, we have somehow managed to meet somewhere near the middle on many things, even if we arrived at that middle through a lot of arguments.
I know when we are looking to make friends, form communities, serve others, it is easiest to find people who are like us, who look like us, think like us, come from our same culture. But I think the beauty of life and God is to try to learn to see life through those who are "opposite," and even if we have a few arguments, learn to meet somewhere in the middle.
The middle is where we are closest to God.
"For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'" Rev 7:17
Five years of dating and twenty four years of marriage have elapsed and my husband and I are now amazed often at how different we are! A combination of growing together but separately, kids, and a career change for me have created these shifts, but really, I think we had always been somewhat different. We just didn't realize it in those early days because we were focused on the similar things. Intimate knowledge through the years showed us how unique we actually were.
But this is what is beautiful--that we are unique and distinct beings, and yet, we've managed to meld our lives together and create this mosaic of a marriage from all of our contrasting pieces.
This is not to say that we have no similarities. Of course we do, and I would say that we had to be similar in some very crucial areas--Christianity, child-rearing philosophies, and money management ideals. But our very cores are quite opposite--he is far more laid back than I am, and I am a rigid planner. He has learned to see some of life through my eyes as I have learned to see life through his, and in this, we have somehow managed to meet somewhere near the middle on many things, even if we arrived at that middle through a lot of arguments.
I know when we are looking to make friends, form communities, serve others, it is easiest to find people who are like us, who look like us, think like us, come from our same culture. But I think the beauty of life and God is to try to learn to see life through those who are "opposite," and even if we have a few arguments, learn to meet somewhere in the middle.
The middle is where we are closest to God.
"For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'" Rev 7:17
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