Bill's Musings

Today, I am honoured to write to you about my husband.  He turned 50 years old a few hours ago. And as I think about him, about how he is and lucky I am to have him as my Life-Partner, I cannot help but feel pride.  Everyday, I fall more in love with him.  He is my rock.  My Love.  The best Dad .  The Annoying Brother.  The Faithful Friend.
I met Bill when I was only eighteen years old.  His cousin Brigitte convinced me to go to a party at his house.  I never went anywhere.  That night, Universe had a plan that would spin our Life Journeys into one common adventure.  In case you didn’t know – I am the one who called him first after that first initial meeting.  He was single.  And was cooking pasta in his microwave.  He got nervous when he answered the phone and heard my voice.  The pasta exploded.  I think it’s a great metaphor which accurately describes how our destinies exploded into a common one that very day. And thus began the secret love affair.  Brigitte would bring letters back and forth between us.  I kept ALL of them.  We didn’t have computers and Internet back then.  Phones and letters.  Cards.  Flowers.  It worked.  We fell in love. Managed to stay together against all odds while I went to University for 3 years in Ottawa.  He drove.  Visited.  Our love grew.  We got married and the rest is history. I reread the letters the other day.  We’re moving to his favourite house in the world in a few months.  I’ve been packing stuff away.  I laughed and I cried as I went through the moments of our Lives.  The one thing that stood out was his incredible Spirit.  His gentle Soul.  His ridiculous sense of humour.  His essence.
You may know him as your contractor who fixes your air conditioning or fixes your cooler.  You may look forward to his weekly Bill’s Musings column in the West Nipissing Tribune. He may be one of your Facebook friends and one of the guys whom you love to chat with.  I know him as my best friend.  My husband. A Dad.  A Son and a Brother.  When people ask me how we are as a couple – I laugh and tell them that he truly deserves a medal.  He lives with me – for one – the crazy redhead who happens to also have many quirks.  He’s the patient one.  The organizer. The planner.  Together, as a couple, we’re the dreamers.  The ones who make things happen.  We’re the proud parents of two incredible children.  We are so blessed.  I couldn’t have chosen a better person to spend my life with.
Bill Gingras is Adorable. Beautiful. Cute.  Delightful.  Enticing.  A Forgiver.  A Guy. Happy.  Intelligent.  Just. Knowledgeable.  Luminous.  Manly.  Nosy.  Overprotective.  Particular and Proud.  asks Questions.  Reasonable.  Sane. Thoughtful. Unanimously the best dad in the World.  Very strong.  Weird. loves the X-men.  Young and Zealous.
Bill Gingras  laughs until he cries.  He sings.  He loves to eat ribs.  Craves his diet Coke. And is a sucker for his three dogs.  Together, we’ve travelled to the top of the Mountains and have descended to the bottom of the world’s largest Canyon.  Literally AND figuratively.  I saw just how truly vulnerable he was when his best friend left him for Spirit World.  I saw the essence of his values when he comforted his niece and nephews.  He stayed strong.  Cried silently.  Then moved on and became even stronger.  Together, we’ve faced many bumps of the road.  We’ve embraced autism.  We’ve battled illnesses.  Diseases.  We’ve taken our journeys one step at a time.  And every step has been a blessing.  We’re happy .  We’re strong.  We’re lucky.  We’re one Vision in two bodies.
Today, he turns 50 years old.  I think that He’s always dreaded turning 50.  For some reason, in his mind – it’s a huge milestone. One that he would probably rather jump over and forget.  There will be no big party today – we’ve deferred it until Spring when friends and family will join us at the Gingras River House for a celebration of the good things in Life.  It’ll be a quiet day.  Probably a delicious supper. A winter hot tub.  Watching Big Bang Theory with the kids.  A cake.  The one thing that there WILL be is love.  A lot of it.  More of it – as there is every day. There will be hugs.  And kisses.  And videos made by yours truly.  And at the end of the day, when these 24 hours have passed – he will have joined the club of those who turned 50 with grace.  And humility.  One of those human beings who goes about his daily journey making a difference in somebody’s life. Enriching mine and his children’s.
Happy Birthday Bill Gingras.  I’ve loved you forever.  Be happy. Healthy.   May Life continue to grant you blessings and may you be forever young.  
It’s a new day.  A new chapter in your Life.  In our lives.  And this will be the best one yet. Just.you.see.

I have always loved Anne’s writing. I have always loved Anne. But this just made my day.

Best.Present. Ever!
xxoo