A Life Yet Lived

A sunrise peaks up over the mountains as a cool breezes wafts through the air. The dogs are sleeping scattered around our bedroom. I wake up earlier than you per usual; my eyes wander across the crisp white bedsheets to see you snuggled up. An imprint of my body lay beside you. I kiss your forehead and graze your cheek with my knuckle as you make a cute yet soft noise but I leave you to continue your dreams.I pick up our daughter borne just months ago, sweet and innocent—a physical embodiment of our love—I wrap her up and carry her down stairs. I’ll take the dogs out, and see to the kids while I make breakfast. You had a stressful day teaching and I want you to sleep-in. You stumble into the kitchen while I’m making breakfast, singing along to the same song that’s been stuck in my head for days. I’m pushing 40 but never seem to grow old in the ways that matter. You grab me from behind; your soft pale hands clench my tummy. Soft and warm yet soft it’s a firmness, you kiss my back pushing your nose into my skin to breathe in that all too familiar cedar scent you’ve grown to recognize and adore. With a loving squeeze to let me know how much you appreciate me and all that I do.It’s autumn but still warm enough to have breakfast on the porch of our house; it has a brilliant broad veranda with vines that creep and kiss the sides of the house. We’ve been living here for two years. Constantly under renovation, a shell of a house we’ve built into a home. It’s made with our love and solidified by our bond and connection. The kids scarf down their breakfast and play with the dogs while we look on with bemusement. You glance at me and cozy up nice and tight as we watch the children run around, amazed at the life we’re building and how it started. I wrap my arms around you telling you all the ways incredibly you make me excited for each new day. I look forward to waking up to you and your loving gaze. I feel complete and content at last.After cleaning up and taking care of the chores, we hop in the shower together to conserve water. I prefer it steaming hot but I’ve learned to appreciate cooler water while you’re with me. After all, your touch does more to heat my body than any external source ever could.It’s Saturday and we decide to pack the kids up to go down to the flea market to find new and interesting items to decorate our house with. Old furniture that needs some love, once forgotten books or odd paintings that just complete that empty space in the living room they we just can’t figure out what to do with. The kids find small knickknacks they’d like and we don’t say no because how could we? Their imagination is only limited by the bounds we set.We’re finally back home. You and I share our space and time together. Not because we have to but because we genuinely enjoy each other’s company. Looks filled with adoration, touches soft yet filled with love like a warm tidal wave in early fall crashing onto the jersey shore. It’s intoxicating. I might be reading and you’re scrolling Reddit on your phone but you’re there in my arms. We don’t have to fill the air with meaningless chatter because we can feel and embody what the other is experiencing. We’re separate yet the same. We are us. via /r/prose https://ift.tt/3mw331M