The Best Person I Know

A Note of Thanks on her Birthday.

The last three months have solidified something in my mind. My wife Amy is the best person I know.

I say “solidified” because I have felt this way for a Loooong time. But few things reveal a person’s inner qualities like an international trip, especially the 31 hour return part, like we had in February.

When you leave for your destination on a trip like this, your emotions and adrenaline are both sky-high. Sure the flights and layovers are long, but you are filled with more anticipation than a 14 year old girl heading into a Taylor Swift concert.

But on the way home….well, that can be a quite different story.

You are tired and homesick. You’ve been with this person literally 24/7 for over a week. The only anticipation is that of an inbox with 4,123,589 emails.

It’s pretty easy to get cranky, is what I’m saying.

Unless you’re Amy. She is the most steadily un-cranky person I know. Literally uncrankable. She makes a Collie seem like a grouch

And not only is she un-cranky, she is unselfish. Since I have to get up a lot she encourages me to always take the aisle seat, even though that can leave her squished between me and a totally random stranger, who could be a sumo wrestler with flatulence issues or (worse) Elon Musk. She doesn’t care.

And this is not because she is just a meek little fundie wife who never stands up for her own wants. No, it goes a lot deeper than that. She has simply learned what things matter and what things…don’t. And really, 98.34 percent of the things we all get our knickers in a knot about don’t really matter a week later. Often even an hour later.

Now, OF COURSE it helps that she is married to a man who looks like George Clooney, with the mind of an Einstein and the athletic abilities of Usain Bolt. Not, as some of my jealous friends have suggested, the looks of Keith Richards, the mind of SpongeBob, and the athletic abilities of the corpse of Don Knotts.

Obviously that helps. But still.

And, now, as I write this after two weeks of recovery surgery, I would just like to publicly thank my wonderful wife for her care and kindness. She has been there every step of the way. My medical needs have meant that her own needs have taken a back seat, yet she is always cheerful and thankful. She literally cares more about my needs and desires than her own. The last two weeks have not been a surprise in this regard. She is always like this. They have just shown it in sharper relief.

Today is her birthday, and I just want to publicly celebrate her. Not only for her love and care for me, but for her deep wisdom, her chosen happy spirit, her peace and contentment, her humor, her humility, and her love and concern for others. She is literally the best person I know.

Happy birthday, Amy. I love you more than words can say.

(click on images below for a slide show)