The kids were out last night and we were home alone at the beginning of our vacation, both of us off work for a few days. My husband was sitting on the couch with his guitar quietly singing George Jones. I was schlumped in a chair with tears in my eyes and one phrase running through my mind: "I wish I was more fun for you, right now." Which I finally spoke out loud, tears spilling over my cheeks. He laughed and said, "I'm having a great time right now." This is a good marriage.

We shouldn't arrive at vacation time so wasted and burned and stressed. But that's how it goes. And its in moments like this, when you look over at your partner and they don't need anything from you but proximity to your existence, that you can see the depth of what is between you.