Happy 6th mensiversary / 1st half-anniversary to S+J.

Today marks 6 months of Jenna and I being together. Quite honestly the best 6 months of my life. In another month's time, this will be the longest continual relationship I've ever been in, and the only one I've ever considered truly long-term. Too early to make that call, you say? What about my other relationships, you say? "Long-term" is not something you apply after months, if you self-apply at all! (you say.)

So what is long term? I think most people would answer in terms of years. One year would be a good place to start. But is one year long-term to 10-yearsers? And what about 10 to people who've ben together for 30 or 40 years? What about 6 months to a couple that's been together for only 2 months? What I'm getting at is that it seems wrong to judge "long-term" by an arbitrary (and relatively valued) number, whether that be in months or years.

Instead, I think it's best to judge whether a relationship is long term by a measure of intent. I intend to stay with Jenna, and she intends to stay with me. We have committed to our relationship and have promised to work hard to maintain and sustain it. We plan on being together in the long term, hopefully for the rest of our lives. At this point, at 6 months, after getting to deeply know her and spending so much time with her, I feel I can safely apply that label.

I am not so naive to believe that people don't change, that the best laid plans can go awry, that people can't fall out of love, that life can't get in the way, that a million tiny and huge things can go wrong with a relationship. But that's not really what's important. I am happy now, madly in love with an incredible, admirable, beautiful, amazingly smart, supportive partner. And I am optimistic and assured, knowing that we both want so strongly for this to work. That's what's important.

Call me a sap; I don't care. Love is one of the most powerful and mysterious forces on earth. And I believe in it.

J,

I can't wait to spend a lifetime of tomorrows with you. The idea of sharing life's adventures, trials, routines, sorrows, joys and more joys is absolutely thrilling. Your strength, intelligence, affection, attentiveness, conviction, and so much more continues to astound me. I love you so much.

SC