“We
need a witness to our lives. There’s a billion people on the
planet…I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a
marriage, you’re promising to care about everything. The good
things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things…all
of it, all of the time, every day. You’re saying, ‘Your life
will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not
go unwitnessed because I will be your witness.’”
As the abundance of family has been arriving and departing here these past weeks, I have begun to realize that "witnessing" is also part of the gift they are giving me and Bob--witnessing our lives and reminding us of the worth of them, especially of ours together. Who else but family would drive for two whole days just to be here with us and wash dishes, do odd-jobs, run for groceries? Who else but family could recount the hilarious and not-so-funny stories of our past, and stir up the poignant feelings that go with those memories? Who else but family would take whole days, weeks, and even months out of their own lives and give them to us--to support and encourage us, to rejuvenate our spirits and remind us of where we've been and what our story means to others?
Tonight I am feeling so blessed by the love of our families, by their willingness not only to support us but also to witness for us and with us "the good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things..." Their witness has been invaluable to me, filling in the gaps that have begun to grow in my own ability to witness and "care about everything." The stories they've recalled, the moments they've observed, the concerns they've reflected have moved me deeply and reminded me who I am, as well as who Bob and I are--and have been--together.
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