Other than America’s independence, today is a celebration for more personal reasons. Today is my wedding anniversary. It was seven years ago that my wife and I were married in Austin, Texas. It was hot then, and even in Canada, it’s hot now. I’m drawn to the heat, which is odd considering where we currently reside, but these summer hot spells feel like home, and they make me happy.

My wife has been very supportive of my various life ventures, and this support has allowed me to reach a milestone in my book. As of yesterday I am officially halfway done with the first draft. I feel like I’ve already come a long way as a writer, and pretty far as a human being too. I was not “husband material” in the beginning, and maybe now I’m at least material. Material which is gradually being crafted into a husband.

In writing you get to have eloquent speeches and powerful insights. There are epic battles and great risks for the hero and their lover. Ultimately they are rewarded for the dramatic swing of their lives, and things are summed up with a kind word and a back cover to close out the tale. In life there are only milestones and moments to celebrate the past. You can’t wait until the end to see how it all turns out, so you have to take stock when you can and focus on the joy over the drama.

This is difficult for just about everyone, but today I’ll give it a fair shake. I really have no clue where we’re going to end up, and I suppose that makes life rather exciting. I have a lot of hopes for our future, but mostly I hope it’s spent somewhere warm.

Happy Anniversary, wife.