For Joan

On 4 May, Joan and I will be celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary. It has been quite a journey. And I have never regretted any single day that I have spent with her.

Joan and I were classmates in law school. We started out as friends and had respective other relationships as well before we found each other. It was not a fairytale romance though and I have no pretensions that it was to be that way.

My only regret is that, how I wished I met her earlier in my life. We have been thru the best and worst of times. There were times before that we found ourselves without any cash on hand and wondered how will we cope with the bills. We have argued as well on almost every issue that confronted us and yet we remained steadfast in our love for each other.

Throughout the 14 years, we have learned to support and respect each other. There were times that I have become unreasonable and cranky, due to the stress of work. And yet she will always find a way to bring me back to reality and try to make me see that there is more to life than the four corners of my office.

Joan and I are quite opposites. She is more out going than me. And definitely she has more friends than me. She understands math and I don't. She can blend into any crowd, while I tend to be an introvert sometimes.

Our kids simply adore her and I think they believe her more than me (?) as I tend to be tough on them as well at any hint of noise or childishness.

I look forward to celebrating not only fourteen (14) more years with Joan but more than a lifetime, as I always say to her. She holds forever the keys to my heart.

I was looking at some old letters I wrote to Joan and I saw a letter that I wrote to her in 1999. In that letter, I quoted Bob Garon. Mr. Garon wrote : " The most dangerous attitute, lovers can have is to believe that, we have made it to the top of the mountain, now the rest will be easy. The truth is that there are many more mountains to climb. many of them far more difficult than anything the couple has experienced up to now."

Jo, I look forward to our continuing journey. With you at my side, I shall not waiver nor fall. You are my strength, my life and soul. Happy anniversary !!