10 Years Ago

10 years ago the Eiffel Tower twinkled with all it's might, trying desperately to sparkle as much as the new ring on my finger. As happy as she was to play such a big role in our lives, I can't say I blame her for being just a wee jealous. It seemed that my ring could produce rainbows with even the slightest twitch.

And now, 10 years later, I can honestly say that life is just as good as it was back then. The Eiffel Tower continues to sparkle in all her glory, while my ring slowly shows the signs of old age. My ring is worn down and always seems to lack the same initial sparkle that it once had. The likely culprit is lotion, but no doubt time has taken its toll too. The engravings are starting to wear down and the ring is just a bit dull. 10 years will do that to a ring.

Do I mind? No, not really. I still look down at my ring and smile every time. And every time I do there might be a different memory that comes to mind, but it's always a good one. 10 years will do that to you. 10 years will do that to a marriage.

Spend 10 years or more with your best friend, and you can not help but collect a bounty full of precious memories that might not twinkle in the sunlight like a new ring, but they will still brighten your day without fail.

Spend 10 years or more building a life together, and you will see that perhaps the sparkle leapt from your ring and into the eyes of your children and the sound of their laughter.

Spend 10 years or more by each other's side and you will come to understand that the ring contains more magic than you thought was ever possible. There is something about the ring that makes you feel like 10 years is just the beginning.

Spend 10 more years together and you just may see your children reach for stars that you once thought were out of your own reach.

Spend 10 more years together and you just may see your ring may not glisten like it once did, but your silvery streaks of hair certainly do.

Spend 10 more years together and you just may find that your face still brightens the moment he walks into the room and that your smile sets his spirits soaring just as it did 20 or more years ago.

The Eiffel Tower can continue to sparkle every night in memory of that special day 10 years ago. I am sure her presence will bring other lovers much the same fond memories as she has for us. May she continue to sparkle with magic for years to come.

As for me, I will continue to adore my ring, no matter how it ages as time goes by. No matter how worn it becomes, my life is still filled with more magic than I ever thought was possible. Perhaps, just perhaps, the reason my ring becomes ever the less sparkly is that my life becomes ever the more precious.