Just Hitched

 

The big news here has been that Salt and I eloped. Having worked in the meetings and events industry for so long, I could have put together a fairly good sized wedding in a week, but we were more inclined to keep it low key. So we went to a favorite overlook, sat under a tree and exchanged vows we wrote. It was a very touching ceremony with tears (me), romance (Salt) and laughter (I started it).

I am pleased to be able to say that I’ve married someone whom I admire. I often wonder what I must be bringing to the relationship since he’s the one with all of the good looks, talent, intelligence and charm.

Before you think I’m biased because I’m in love, you should know that my family loves him too. I suppose it could have been relief that they don’t have to figure out what to do with me when I get old, but they seem genuinely excited to have him in the fold. The sane in-laws are always popular with my kin. They give the more rational among us another person to talk to on Thanksgiving and the crazy ones have someone new on whom to try old material. If you’re wondering where I fall out in this spectrum, I can hold my own with both extremes. Salt can attest to how quickly I can turn from perfectly reasonable to completely bat-guano-crazy and back again.

Obviously we’ve exhausted the extent to which he’s a saint and you’re wondering why he would marry me at all. The truth is I haven’t been able to surmise that answer. My best guess would be my never-knocked-down-for-long determination and the fact that I'm the outgoing one.

Technically, we’re both introverts, though comparatively I’m less introverted on the spectrum. Having me around to push us into social situations has some value, but there is also a downside. I just keep talking and talking and talking. I must go on for two or three sentences at a time. It’s enough to set one’s mind reeling. Salt is able to counter-balance my talkativeness with the fact he doesn't let my talking interfere with his thinking.

As for my spunk, well that's always adorable. No downsides there. I'm absolutely sure of it.

At this point you may want to accuse me of being Panglossian, which most people mistakenly call Pollyanism. Allow me to define the distinction. To be Panglossian is to be unreasonably optimistic even in the face of all evidence to the contrary. Pollyanism is the decision to see the good in all things with full knowledge that things are not entirely as one might desire.

Frankly to be married takes a healthy dose of Pollyanism. To commit to one person for the rest of one's life without knowledge of what may come requires optimism. To be successful at that commitment takes a good deal of realism and the desire to see the best in one's partner even on their worst days.

Salt does his best not to rain on my daily parade, regardless of how much he wants to sit quietly for a few minutes longer. I do my best to be helpful, regardless of how inept I may be. We each do our best to act like rational people and let the other person know how much love and respect we have for one another. We have a motto for our relationship: "I am trying." It serves as both a confession and a petition for forbearance.

I am sorry that there wasn't a big party for all of you to attend. We've talked about it, but who knows if we can get our act together on such a shindig. We appreciate the well wishes and love you all.

Celebrating our marriage at Angel's Share Wine Pub in Roxborough Park.