Today, I’m talking to you. My boyfriend, my best friend, my rock. We met several years ago, young and carefree, with no idea where we’d end up today. Between shots, we promised to love each other. We were beautiful, had few obligations, lived day to day, and were happy.
Then came responsibilities, bills, school, plans, and all the grown-up stuff. We bought a house, set up RRSPs, subscribed to Super Écran, and we were happy.
I got pregnant, I threw up, I cried, I bawled my eyes out. You watched my body change, our house fill up with toys, our restaurant outings become fewer, our sex life dwindle—and we were happy.
The baby arrived, bringing with him sleepless nights, crying, days when I was dressed in sweats, and a lack of sleep. I spent my time taking care of our son and feeling tired, exhausted. At night, curled up together in bed, we were happy.
Family outings, five swims a week, swimming lessons, and kids’ TV shows were our new reality. The routine was well established, I got pregnant again, and we were happy.
This morning, Baby No. 2 is in his little crib; my son and you are making French toast—it smells like fall. I’m drinking my coffee while it’s still almost hot, gazing at my dirty floor, the dishes lying around, and toys scattered everywhere—and I know it: we’re happy.
You and I have no secrets, no magic formula—just love and the belief that we create our own happiness. Despite all the beauty between us, there have been days that were so difficult. I felt like giving up, taking two months off, just leaving. There were days when you missed the way things used to be, when you couldn’t stand me and my hormones anymore, when you were at the end of your rope. We decided to give ourselves a chance. Our children deserve it, we deserve it, and it does us good.
We’re giving ourselves the chance not to get everything right the first time. We’re giving ourselves a chance to find the right path, the solution, the balance. We don’t always agree, and the days aren’t always perfect, but we’re giving ourselves the chance to have a better one tomorrow. We’re giving ourselves the chance to live our happiness and to be happy.
A long time ago, we made a promise of love to each other—I’m so lucky!