A picture of marriage as metaphor: Two delicate things hanging from the mouth of a beast for a lifetime. It’s no easy feat. The beast can look like anything. Life. Careers. Kids. Fights. What gets in the way, what changes over time. Feeling unseen, misunderstood, taken for granted. The beast is what pulls us apart then brings us back together again, with purpose each time, like the hinges of a jaw, over and over. Love can be that beast. It can feel dangerous. Terrifying. Thrilling. Something to run from, or into. Something to kill, or capture, or be in awe of. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather hang from life’s fang from than you, David*. Happy 10th wedding anniversary. I love you. *Except for Cary Grant