Each year as my bithday gets closer, I tend to look back to what I’ve accomplished over the previous 12 months.  Sometimes, these recollections bring a smile to my face, sometimes not.  This year it’s an odd mix of emotions, however I think the positives greatly outweighed the negatives.

It seemed to be a period of extremes, but all in all I can honestly say that I’ve learned an amazing amount about myself, and what I’m truly capable of.  Without getting into specifics, much of my energies were spent dealing with long-held worries, fears and anxieties and while no growth comes without pain, I’m proud of how much I feel I’ve grown as a person during this time.

This week, I’m taking on one of my oldest, deepest fears;  Needles.  On Wednesday at 4:00pm I have an appointment to get a tattoo… Yes, really.  I’ve always held an appreciation for the artistc component behind tattoos, as well as the committment getting one holds.  However, between the thought of the pain involved, and more specifically of voluntarily allowing needles to pierce my skin repeatedly I’ve never been able to bring myself to do it.  Well, Wednesday that all changes.  I’ve picked a “Geeky” tatoo (go figure) and plan to get it on the back of one of my shoulders.  While the fear is still there, I’m excited to get this done and confront my anxiety head-on.  I’ll make sure to post pictures once it’s all said and done.

Ok, now on to the quotes.

I have to say one thing before I post this batch.  The growth I’ve had over this last year has gone hand in hand with support from my wonderful wife.  She’s always there for me, and after all we’ve been through and done the last twelve months, we’re stronger as a couple than I ever thought we could be.  She’s a constant reminder of how blessed I am.

Ok, and here’s this installment of SMS messages to my Love;

01/19 – “Love is the joy of the good, the wonder of the wise, the amazement of the Gods.”  – Plato

01/20 – “Come live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove That valleys, groves, hills, and fields, Woods or steepy mountain yields.”  – Christopher Marlowe

01/21 – “I remember well the day we wed
I can see that picture in my head
I still believe the words we said
Forever will ring true
Love is certain, love is kind
Love is yours and love is mine
But it isn’t something that we find
It’s something that we do”  – Clint Black, “Something That We Do”

01/22 – “Love has the power of making you believe what you would normally treat with the deepest suspicion.”  – Mirabeau

01/23 – “You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly.”  – Sam Keen

01/26 – “Love is the answer, but while you are waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty good questions.”  – Woody Allen

01/27 – “So we’re okay, we’re fine
Baby I’m here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
I’m stronger than the monster beneath your bed
Smarter than the tricks played on your heart
We’ll look at them together then we’ll take them apart
Adding up the total of a love that’s true
Multiply life by the power of two.”  – Indigo Girls, “Power of Two”

01/28 – Shannon was out for Surgery

01/29 – “Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit. “  – Peter Ustinov

01/30 – “Sexiness wears thin after a while and beauty fades, but to be married to a man who makes you laugh every day, ah, now that’s a real treat.”  – Joanne Woodward

02/02 – “The mind determines what is possible. The heart surpasses it.”  – Pilar Colinta

02/03 – “A loving heart is the truest wisdom.”  – Charles Dickens

02/04 – “We are all born for love. It is the principle of existence, and its only end.”  – Benjamin Disraeli

02/05 – “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; What is essential is invisible to the eye.”  – Antoine De Saint-Exupery

02/06 – “To get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.”  – Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

02/09 – “Love is like a river, always changing, but always finding you again somewhere down the road.”  – Kelly Elaine

02/10 – “The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”  – Allan K. Chalmers

02/11 – “Companioned years have made them comprehend
The comradeship that lies beyond a kiss
The young ask much of life — they ask but this
To fare the road together to its end.”  – Roselle Mercier Montgomery

02/12 – Insanely Busy Day, Phil Forgot

02/13 – (Makeup for Thursday) – “A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults.”  – Charles Kingsley

02/13 – “Each moment of a happy lover’s hour is worth an age of dull and common life”  – Aphra Behn

I hope to get time to post following the tattooing experience, so I should be able to catch back up on the quotes at that time.  Wish me luck!