I once imagined the hardest thing a man could accomplish was getting the woman he loved to the altar. This view instantaneously changed, however.

Marriage by far wasn't easy—far from it. It was a boundless enterprise consisting of endless negotiations and compromises. Our marriage might be new, but we'd been through the troughs and over the hurdles.

Though fate had dealt us a harsher hand prior to our marital union, I believed my wife and I would overcome whatever tribulations were given to us.

We'd come a long way. … We'd come too far to let misfortunes separate us.

We were stronger together, weaker when apart.