Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash
If you would have told me thirty or so years ago that I would be celebrating my wedding anniversary, much less my 25th, I would have laughed in your face! Why? As a young man with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), it was challenging enough to find a girlfriend much less one who would love me for me and looks past the deformed feet, lack of strength and ability, to love the real me.
As a young man, there were only two things on my mind. Women and sex. What else was there? Okay, so three. I wanted an education that would further me along in life. At this point in my life, I was a Christian and held to the virtues of being a Christian man, especially when dating. Why especially when dating? I was taught to respect the women I date, always treat the lady with my best manners, and have no sex before marriage. When I learned the value and responsibilities in all of that, I held onto them as I didn’t want to be disrespectful of women, nor did I want to be a very young father.
If you have Charcot-Marie-Tooth, you know your physical body is not like others. You know your physical challenges most likely will progressively worsen. And, I knew it. My feet had high arches and my muscular system doesn’t develop like other guys. I was scrawny and weighed around ninety-eight pounds. I was definitely not the hunk of athletes or even close. However, it wasn’t as important as I thought at the time.
The important thing I had to learn before I would find a wife and get married is to love myself. High arches and scrawny physical-self all of it. Also, I had to learn to be myself. I have a funny personality but if I am always thinking about CMT and its ramifications, it won’t shine through. It took more time to do all this than I had hoped but it worked.
Several years later, I met the most wonderful woman. She fell in love with me, what’s not to love, and I fell in love with her, what’s not to love? We recently celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We have been through life’s ups and downs together. She has been an awesome encourager when it comes to CMT and my challenges.
Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart.
Here’s to Twenty-Five More Years!