Somewhere, Billy Joel is singing “Just the Way You Are”

This past week I watched the movie “Juno.”  It was a different kind of movie than I’m used to watching, but I liked it, and it made me feel happy at the end.  I appreciated its quirkiness, even though I didn’t catch all the references.  The movie is about Juno, a pregnant teenager, who decides to give her baby up for adoption, and the movie shows the emotional growth she goes through during her pregnancy and in trying to find a good adoptive home for her baby.

I was struck by this quote, taken from the father of the pregnant girl, as he and his daughter talk about whether there is permanence in love.  The language is a bit rough, but the point is good:

In my opinion, the best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are.  Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you.  The right person’s still gonna think the sun shines out your ass.  That’s the kind of person worth sticking with.

When I heard that, I thought of my husband and how he loves me, and it made me feel good inside.  I can assure you that I have definitely displayed good moods, bad moods, and have had both ugly and pretty moments.  Yet JJ has stuck by me through it all, and he has continued to declare that he loves me.  We’re not a perfect couple, but through all the ups and downs, I have always known that his love for me has remained constant.  For that, I am incredibly grateful, and it’s inspired me to try to love him better in return.

This November, it’s been 11 years since we first officially met, and I’m so glad we did.  Love ya, babe.