When I was a girl, the life I wanted could only be found in fairy tales.  The knight in shining armor on his white majestic horse was going to whisk me away to some ethereal splendid castle somewhere.  There we’d dine on grapes and pastries and succulent meats and stuff ourselves until we could eat no more.  Then we would kiss and make out, and…that was about as far as I got.

What I’ve discovered is that love is tough.  Love is sometimes black moody skies when you want rainbows.  Love hunkers down in the trenches to be there, live there, until you can figure out what’s going on.  Love says “yes” when you’re screaming on the inside to say “no.”  Love is patient and kind and all those things you’d rather other people do.  Love is hard.

But there is a glory in it all, which is why I’m sharing this rousing song with you.  To be so loved is what we all want–I think.  And when you’ve found it–that sticky, stubborn stain called love that won’t wash out in all of life’s scrubbings–it’s the best thing in the world…before you head down into one of those trenches again.

This song is for Dan.