I’ve been married since 1995. How many years is that? Wait. Let me get out my calculator. I don’t have a calculator. I’ll use the computer’s calculator. That’s 28 years. Since I’ve been with my wife as a bonafide couple since 1991 that’s another 4 years, which makes 32 years. That’s a mighty long time. And good for me. Good for us.

How to stay together so long? That’s the question. Why even ask such a dumb question? People randomly ask me that. Mostly Gen “Z”s. Wow! They say. What’s your secret? As if my marriage is some sort of glorious cupcake filled with a magic frosting.

It aint’ that hard. When you know you love someone, you know you love someone. How do you know you love someone. Fuck if I know. You just know. It’s in your bones. Your mind ain’t got nothin’ to do with it. Your head can be all over the place. “Commitment” and “Marriage” and “Monogamy” all those bigass words don’t mean shit.

It's in the blood and bones.

And now this has gone off the rails into some form of relationship TED talk seminar.

Too serious for me. Unless I’m getting paid a ton of dough to tell everyone my love secrets. Then I might be more inclined to reveal the ingredients in our secret love sauce.

I’ve been married. And I’m happy. She’s happy. We’re both like two pigs in a love shit.

Do we fight? Of course. Why even ask such a question? When we fight now, we make up quick. We have no time to hold onto anger, resentment, petty grievances.

We have to get back to some semblance of equilibrium. A love balance.

Gotta keep crankin’ out that secret love sauce. Cupcake cream filling.

Balance the scales of love so birds can sing, roses can bloom, the sky can crack open and the hand of some final and ultimate creator of all things in the universe (or the hand of chance) can bless us with another 28 years (or thereabouts).

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What else? 

I ate a lot of Mexican food last night. My wife and daughter packed half of their meals to go. But not me. I gorged myself on cheese enchiladas, chips, salsa, refried beans, rice, onions, more cheese, more salsa, jalapenos and even more cheese.

So what did any respectable health-obsessed man do? I came home and took 2 liver cleansing tablets. Chinese herbs. Works every time. I would’ve taken psyllium powder as well. Push that shit through. But I ran out. So it was just the liver herbs. And then at the end of the night I drank a cup of warm lemon water. Full lemon squeezed into warm water. Helps the liver deal with the influx of grease, cheese, carbs and spices shoved into my gut with love and gusto.

But now, today, it’s back to a big fat green salad.

Gotta balance your life so you can enjoy those moments of pure culinary pleasure.

2 cheese enchiladas

28 years of marriage

Valentine's day.

A lovely life.

©2023 Bruce Palma. All rights reserved.