A Special Edition of "The Lounge"

Yes. It's back. This is the cream of my coffee, the core of my apple. This is that slight rustic aftertaste after eating a thyme-encrusted steak complete with your favorite fresh red wine.

It is called the Lounge. A segment of posts of my poetry.

For those who read my blog in the good ol' days back when I was with Today.com, you not only read the poems I posted on there, some of my own beloved works--but you also had the opportunity to hear me perform them through recording.

Well, since the Lounge has returned in full force, you'd expect to be able to hear this poem to start off the rebirth of one of my favorite segments on Writing and Reading. For now, no. It's not possible. For a couple reasons:

One, I'm still trying to figure out how to post recordings onto the blog, so bear with me on that. But this edition of the Lounge is absolutely necessary for one reason--

Which brings me to reason number Two: this special poem you're about to read happens to essentially be my written vows to my wife who I just married on August 1, 2010....

Everyone deserves to read these words. Because they're sacred to me. And everything sacred in my mouth has every right to be heard by those willing to hear. You who read means that much to me. So here are the same vows I spoke to my wife, the woman you see next to me. The beauty of my heart....

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MY VOWS

I feel I’ve spent longer trying to write my vows to you than writing one of my novels. I didn’t expect it to be so difficult; I think I know why: there aren’t a whole lot of words out there in the world that can sufficiently describe you and what you mean to me in my heart. It’s all simply indescribable. And overwhelming.

But I do believe I can keep trying until the day I die to express to you my eternal vows--every day, every moment. Starting now.

I now believe in second chances. When life’s a struggle, you always feel like you have only one hand to play--and if it loses, you’re off the table for good. Well, God apparently wasn’t having that. To Him, my game wasn’t over. I still had a chance in life. In love. And that chance is you. You’ve made my life spectacular.

Being broken and beaten, He lifted me up and commanded me to continue walking in His way. You were His hand and arm embracing me. His every breath was your every kiss. To save my life, you were His messenger; and your message was simple: I love you, always, without any condition, forever.

I promise you, more than anything--you can rest your heart in my hands. I will protect it for all my days. I will die for it. Because your heart is my own key to Heaven. My soul, I’ll always share with you. And only you. For through all your trials and troubles in your life, your courage to still look upon me with your Heavenly eyes and trust everything awards me as great a gift as I can possibly give to you--fellowship, body and soul, forever.

My every breath, heartbeat, serves to reveal the light that embodies you to God. Everything of you is a shining light--and I promise to never let it die. To never let it burn out.

I will always dedicate myself to making you smile, because it’s that smile that reminds me of how God felt when Jesus was born. I promise to always look into your eyes and be mesmerized--because in them is paradise. I promise to play with your silky, fiery, warm chestnut hair every chance I get; because it’s not every day a simple man like me gets to laugh and play with angels. And every strand of your beautiful hair is an angel of the highest radiance. And last, but certainly not least, I vow endlessly to be captivated by the essence of your mind. And to learn from it. For in your own life, you’ve actually lived a dozen unique lives, with lessons learned every time. From that alone is the greatest gift: wisdom. You have wisdom.

Please don’t be intimidated by the length and complexity of my wedding vows to you, given that I’m a novelist. For in all honesty, your mere presence speaks a lifetime to me. Your gaze gives me more God-given vows than even I can write. I can only measure up to the majesty that is you in the best way I know I can. And hope to God it’s enough. I love you. Lord, help me, I love you. Always. Thank you, God, for keeping me at the table. I promise I’ll play my hand well. Lord knows I’ve already won.