A Tribute to Pete

(I originally wrote this to model a before & after essay for my students, so you might notice a different tone to it. But this essay turned out to be something that I needed to write in honor of my wonderful husband, whom I love with the strength of God's grace.)


Before I got married, I was afraid that maybe I wouldn’t be able to love Pete enough to stay married to him for my whole life. Now that I’m married, however, I know that I just have to try again every day to love him, and God can give me the strength and love to be a good wife.

Before I got married, I had loved Pete for a long time. I had a crush on him when we were in college, but I never told him then because I was afraid he would think I was dumb. After college, we moved to California with some of our friends, and one day I finally got up the courage to tell him I liked him. I think he was scared of me at first, but then later he told me he liked me, too. After that we started “going out."

I loved spending time with Pete, and I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else, but when I thought he might as me to marry him, I was so scared! Of course I wanted to say, “Yes!” but somehow I was still scared. And on the night he asked me to marry him, I actually cried because I was so scared. I think maybe I was scared that I didn’t have enough love inside me to last for our whole lives. What if I got mad or hurt too many times, and I couldn’t forgive him and really love him anymore? This is the question I kept asking myself, and even God.

The day we got married was a beautiful day. Our wedding was outdoors, at a park near the beach in southern California. The sun was shining, and I was so excited to be celebrating with our friends and marrying my best friend. But maybe the most important part was that I had learned that I didn’t have to be perfect to get married. Somehow I realized that if God is Love, then he is the one who can give us the love and forgiveness we need to keep on loving one person for our whole lives. On that sunny day, May 29, 2000, I knew when I promised myself to Pete that I could keep my promise because God would help me.

Now we have been married for 7 ½ years. I can’t believe it’s been so long! It’s wonderful to be married to my best friend, and I can still stay up way too late at night just talking with him and enjoying him. Sometimes I get mad at him, but so far we’ve always been able to talk about our fights or our problems, and I feel better afterwards. He’s a good husband to me. And I still love him! I love him as much as the day I married him, and I think I know him better now. Maybe I even love him more: I definitely appreciate him more.

I guess I’ve changed a lot since I first had a crush on Pete. I’m still the same person, but maybe I’ve grown up more. And now I know that I can love him just one day at a time, and with God’s help, that will be enough to last us for our whole lives.