You know those nights where you stay up talking til you fall asleep? We don’t always have those but we did last night.

My husband and I just had our ten year anniversary about two weeks ago. Last night I told him about some anxieties (about my career) and he encouraged me a lot. While doing this, he was playing with my hair and giving me compliments about my character and saying he admired me. I told him how much I appreciate him and how proud I am of him. This turned into us saying how much we love being with each other and how grateful we are to still be this way after ten years. Life has happened in between but it’s amazing to have someone to rely on and almost surreal to have it be someone that wasn’t always a fixture in your life.

I had a chaotic upbringing in a home with domestic violence. I won’t go into it, but after I started therapy I realized I had relationship anxiety. Even after being with my husband for awhile, in times of conflict or disconnect I’d be sure that he wouldn’t want me anymore, even though he never gave me logical reason to believe so. So I guess I’m posting for those in a similar boat to me. No matter how you were raised, even if you didn’t have healthy examples of love, you can have that if you choose to. Love can stay constant and devotion can too. You can find a gentle partner to grow with and you can become gentler too.