How perfect has changed

Twelve years ago on this date on a day very much like today, I walked down the aisle.
I was marrying the man I thought I would start a family with and grow old with.
I thought the day was perfect.

Looking back, it wasn't.
I stressed over the little things that didn't matter.
I didn't take time to enjoy the day for myself, I was too concerned with the impression the day would leave on others.
On a day that was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, wasn't.


I ran in a 5k this morning.
I haven't been running lately.
I had the flu which stopped me dead and then just couldn't get myself motivated to get back out there.
That was a month and a half ago.
Today, I decided it was time.
Time to get back out there.
I ran a time of 33.26, not the fastest by any means, but I finished and I didn't die...
...and I did it for me.

I took the boys to an amusement park.
We rode rides, laughed, and enjoyed the sunshine.
I didn't care about the thousands of other people around me.
I didn't care about what they thought about our boisterous laughter.
I didn't care about whether they thought I was being a good parent by letting my boys have all kinds of junk food.
I didn't care...
...because I was happy and so were my boys.


Then as evening rolled around, the boys and I took a walk and threw stones in a pond.
This little thing my boys truly enjoy...
...and life is about the little things that matter.

Sure... twelve years ago was a date that will always hold a significance, but it wasn't perfect.
I didn't know what perfect was back then.
But today... today was perfect.