One Year Before

One Year Before is about love—a love that has spanned more than half my life. Love encompasses so much: it’s beautiful, uplifting, but also comes with its challenges. Especially when, like my man and I, you’re two individuals with strong wills and distinct ideas. Even after all these years, each day can bring an unexpected challenge, a debate, or even anger. And with that, comes sadness. But after that comes communication—something we’ve mastered. And then, love returns, stronger than before.

Most of the time, love feels like an incredible adventure. We live a life where so much is possible, or we find ways to make it possible. We dream, we scheme, and we solve the problems we create along the way.

But sometimes, routine is what we crave—oh yes! I used to think routine was dull, but life, especially after having our two kids, taught us the value of simple, comforting rituals. Food, for example, has become one of those grounding routines: eating together, sharing our stories.

And we laugh. We laugh a lot.