marriage...it's what brings us together today....

This is one of my favorite lines from the Princess Bride.

That and "Have fun storming the castle!"

Both sayings could be true of marriage.

It brings us together. 

And mostly we have to fight our way through crazy obstacles and selfishness

and  insurmountable odds to having a good marriage.

Storm the castle, as it were.

Sometimes I am ready for it. Bring it on.

Other times, I get caught up in my own worries and issues

and leave Scott to fend for himself. It's not pretty.

I tend to forget that mostly, 

marriage is about the facing down the hardships of life together.

All for one and one for all.

Sometimes it is easier to turn on each other 

than lock arms and face the hard stuff as a team.

But then we are left alone...stripped to the bone...feeling sorry for ourselves...

having to make amends....before we can get on with real living.

I think I did a great job picking the man I wanted to storm the castle of life with.

He is a fighter. He doesn't back down from a challenge. 

He is large hearted. He is a visionary.

He is engaged in living on all fronts.

But sometimes when life gets difficult, I want to shout, 

"It's every man for himself!" and mostly that means, 

I'm going to do what I have to to get mine. 

That's more of a mercenary approach not so much a marriage approach.

I can forget that in this marriage of togetherness and storming castles,

it is my job to dig in, standing shoulder to shoulder with Scott, and say,

 "I'm on your side."

This list reminded me of it today.

I think I need to read this every morning for the rest of my life.

And I think I need to add a #11....

when life is coming at you at full speed ahead, hold hands and face it together.

It's better that way.