13 years on

Found this poem on the back of a Marriage Encounter brochure. I have no idea who wrote it, but it is certainly poignant and something to which we all aspire. I still find cards incapable of capturing what’s in my heart.

Happy anniversary, toots, from your little tomato.

I love you
Not only for what you are
But for what I am
When I am with you.

I love you
Not only for what you have made of yourself
But for what you are making of me.

I love you
For the part of me that you bring out.

I love you
for putting your hand into my heaped up heart
And passing over all the foolish weak things—
That you can’t help dimly seeing there.
And drawing out into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
quite far enough to find.

I love you because you are helping me to make
Of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern, but a temple;
Out of my works, of my every day
Not a reproach, but a song.

I love you
Because you have done
More than any creed could have done
To make me feel my goodness.
You have done it
With your touch,
With your words,
With yourself.