In her new book, The Astronaut’s Wife, Stacy Morgan writes, “Meaningful, life-giving connections are built brick by brick, layer by layer, by people dedicated to encouraging one another as Paul exhorts us to do. Like building a strong house, forging strong connections is hard work” (pg.105).
When Tim learned this year’s sales conference was going to be in Las Vegas, the first conference in 2 years thanks to Covid, he didn’t really want to go alone. He could have, of course, but he didn’t want to. I’m the traveler, the adventurer- the one with enough wanderlust for the both of us. He asked me to come along, but all I could see initially was the quick cross-country trip, two nights without sleep in a three-day window due to early flights, plus taking a few days of vacation from my job. Not to mention spending more time away from home right after traveling back to Illinois for a family emergency, and a few work trips of my own in the near future. However, we found a cheap flight making it doable, and hey, frankly the adventurer me overcame all the objections of the responsible me.
Tim and I have been building strong connections in our marriage for almost 37 years, and almost 39 years now as friends. For anyone married for any length of time at all, you know this is hard work. Marriage requires choosing each other again and again, and again. This week I set off the mama hat and the advocate hat and donned my wife hat. I’m walking him to the convention site, waiting in the room when he comes back to get ready for his evening events, and planning out our free time.
The astronaut’s wife says, “..if you want to have shelter from the storms of life, you have to keep building and you cannot do it alone.” This is what I’m doing this week, I’m building with Tim and showing up how he needs me in this season. And frankly, in a $500 per night resort where I’m getting to spending a few free pool afternoons to read and eat fancy food, it’s a pretty sweet gig.
