Last week I celebrated my 20th wedding anniversary.

As one who loves to celebrate love, I posted the following on social media:

@jdstar it’s our 20th anniversary 🥰 When we took our vows, they were the most important words to us.

But that’s what they were: words.

Promises take on an entirely new meaning when they become actions.

“TO LOVE, HONOR, CHERISH TIL DEATH DO US PART…”

Warm, home cooked dinners, long mornings sipping coffee together, orchestrating a perfect playlist feels like LOVE.

When you push me into bigger rooms, ask for my advice, and include me in all decisions feels like HONOR.

Planning family date nights, all of us reading in bed, and us holding hands in the ocean are moments we CHERISH.

You are the pure embodiment of love in action, not just words.

Last night you asked me if I’d want to do another 20 years by your side, and I responded I wanted another 200.

Feliz aniversario mi amor.

(Thank you to our five year old daughter for taking our photo YOU MUST TAKE AFTER YOUR MOTHER BABY GIRL 📷)

— … — … — … —

After I posted that on social media, I realized that wasn’t really true. Or at least not fully encompassing of the truth.

It felt too perfect. And the trip? It was anything but perfect.

So I posted this on Instagram the following day:

Cheers to your shadows and success,

j*