My relationship with Michael is the first (and last) true relationship. Before Michael, there were lots of dumb dates and silly three month bouts of torture with one idiot or another. But Michael and I are the 'real thing' (hence: upcoming wedding).

One thing I always worried about with these full-time relationship thingies is the chance that people might get bored with one another. How dull! Living with the same person, day in, day out, sharing their space--putting up with those annoying ticks others possess. (Not me, no. I have NO ANNOYING TICKS whatsoever, and if you think differently, just ask Michael).

I am finding that this consistency with Michael is far from boring. He doesn't have any annoying ticks that drive me to rage. He does turn on the television on Saturday mornings, but slowly, I am breaking him of that. And besides, it really doesn't bother me. But what I am finding is that a person is much more complex than I ever imagined.

There are some days, sure, when I know exactly what's going to come out of his mouth.
There are times when we complete each other's sentences, or find ourselves humming the same song with no prompting from the radio. There are times when I know he will leave his socks on the carpet, and I am sure he knows I will have a cigarette after dinner, or not help with the dishes, or be depressed.

And then, there are openings that I've never seen before. Like the other day, while I was knitting, Michael took some self-portraits. We reviewed them, and in some pictures, I asked out loud, "Who's THAT guy?"

There's all sorts of unfoldings that will take place while we walk through life's park together. We get to spend a whole lifetime examining one another, becoming experts about the other, falling in love all over again, unexpectedly.

And all that time, I thought it would be dull. What did I know?