My husband and I recently celebrated our forty-second wedding anniversary. Milestones tend to make me contemplate time gone by—as well as look toward the future.
We have lived in four houses—one which we built and is a story all in its own. We have owned twelve cats, or should I say we were their guardians and they owned us. I have had nine different jobs—six were organist/handbell/choir director—plus several part-time teaching and music store/bookstore positions. Together we started a handbell publishing company in 1995.
Companion, Confidant, Collaborator
My husband is my companion, confidant, collaborator, and creative partner. His patience is endless. He believes in me more than I do and is my constant cheerleader and encourager. He never laughs at my many flights of fancy or daring dreams. We make a good team because he is the pragmatic planner for our creative endeavors. With level-headedness, he will push back on projects or plans that are unrealistic. We are alike in many ways—but in important ways we are different. His practicality balances my daydreaming.
Through the years, he has always encouraged me to compose and write. He is my editor, music copyist, and advises me on whether a project needs work or is fine the way it is.
This is a typical conversation that took place at breakfast, March 10, 2009 when I was working on lyrics for a song. This was after I had shared some lyrics in progress and he had given feedback.
Gary, “What are you doing?”
Peg, “Trying to find a way to put these phrases back into the chorus.”
Gary, “Why would you want to do that?”
Peg, “Because they are pretty and make you feel good.”
Gary, “But they don’t make any sense.”
(pause)
Peg, “Well . . . (thinking to myself that I will keep trying.)”
(pause)
Gary, “Unless you make the chorus into a list like . . . some of those other songs . . . “
In creative projects, he keeps me logical and coherent—not my strong points.
I fell in love with someone who is smarter then me. I knew from the beginning that I could never grow tired of how his brain works. Of course, there are many other wonderful aspects of our marriage, but here, I specifically wanted to focus on our creative partnership.
As for the future, I hope for more of the same. Sharing ideas, collaborating on projects, and enjoying each day.
A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.
— André Maurois (1885-1967) French author
Happy is the man who finds a true friend,
and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife.
— Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Austrian composer
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.