Greece.
One simple word and your mind is filled with a kaleidoscope of blues and white, soft seas, honest food and, sadly, strife. Ralph and I waffled as to whether or not we should come this year due to the political mess happening here. A million ‘what ifs’ had us thinking perhaps we should wait until things got sorted out. One reason persuaded us to come: Greece is magic. Something here compels a gentle ease to our conversations; the constancy of the sea hitting the shore, the certainty of another sun blessed day and knowing that Aphrodite is listening all serve to help soothe the busyness of our life. The goddess of love seducing us with her wisdom, ‘For two precious weeks lay down all the other roles you play in your lives and be only husband and wife.’
Don’t get me wrong. I love being mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend. I wouldn’t give up one for the other, but having the luxury of only being a wife is a gift. Small, quiet moments celebrated simply because our focus is completely directed on each other.
Every marriage is different. I’m not making any kind of sweeping statement about relationships but, for us, stealing time away to realign our paths is a cherished pilgrimage. An intimate journey with time to listen to each others dreams and fears.
My husband’s not a poetic man. Words often betray him. Sometimes he’ll string a sentence together that is so profoundly insulting it’s laughable. I’ve grown a tough skin from years of having my jaw drop to the floor in disbelief. I call those moments ‘ralphisms’. Unpleasant ‘ralphisms’ happen rarely, now. Age or living with me for so long has made him more cautious. The ‘ralphisms’ I adore happen equally uncontrived. The words tumble out of him before he realizes how lovely he sounds. Today he turned to me and said, “when we swim in the Aegean Sea, I feel like our souls are being polished.”
And so they are…
Thanks for reading.
