Valentines Day Post for the Love of my Life: My wife

Social media may seem like the love of my life. My wife may even believe that. So today, Valentines day, I’m going to clear things up. Social media is a good friend of mine. I have met hundreds of people virtually that I would gladly call friends. They fulfill much of my ambition as a professional with good information, humor, and of course help when I need it…the social media world is indeed a good friend to me. What that world doesn’t know, and what my wife may not know, is that the social media world is empty. Yup. The world of my business, the world that consumes hours of my day is completely and utterly empty.

A little history

I met my wife shortly after we turned fourteen years old. It was what I would call love at first sight. She of course knew nothing of me and could scarcely call it anything other than creepy the first several times that I asked her to dance at church dances. Eventually (no less than a year later) she would be my girlfriend. Several years later in an unfortunate attempt as humor she would also agree to be my wife (more on that April 1st). This year we will celebrate our thirteenth wedding anniversary. We have now spent more than half of our lives "together".

Life fulfilled

So I made a big deal about social media being empty in the first paragraph. This is true two paragraphs later only because my wife is still part of my history and the only real future I have. The experiences I have had with my wife are indelible and the joy she brings to me is lasting and not ephemeral like the 140 characters of a tweet or the 6 seconds of a Vine video. I have five beautiful, intelligent children because she loved me. I have her support no matter how many likes or shares I get on a witty Facebook post. When I struggle with blog topics or completing my Masters Degree she’s the one who steps in to make me feel like life will have meaning no matter the topic or finish date of my degree. She sees a better man in me than I can ever imagine myself becoming. She reminds me that social media is empty by filling my life with meaningful things.

No roses this year

I have purchased enough roses in my short life to pay for a florists children and grandchildren to attend college. The withered petals of romance have been strewn across the years of loving my dear wife. I’m writing this post in the most public place I have access to because I want the world to know that roses, no matter their beauty, are not nearly enough an expression of my love for the woman of my dreams. Instead I will do my best to let my wife know how much she means to me by putting social media in its place and her first. It won’t be enough, but it will be a start. Perhaps someday she will get what she deserves…the man she sees in me come true.