True Romance - Not Always as Grateful as I Could Be

Watching Sleepless In Seattle for the umpteenth time.

Hubby is sitting in his usual seat across from me as we watch television together.

You will find us this way most evenings now we are older.

It suits us;

especially as one of hubby's favourite quotes come from Hardy's
 Far From the Madding Crowd,

when Gabriel Oak tells Bathsheba Everdene all he wants for the future is that ,

" at home by the fire, whenever you look up there I shall be— and whenever I look up, there will be you."

Yes, he is an old romantic, 

and nothing we have been through in our almost 56 years of marriage has changed him,

He remains the same to the extent that even now, 

when he is often full of pain, 

and I ask,

"Are you alright?"

he replies as he always has,

" I am with you aren't I?"

as if that settles the matter.

For so long I have taken his response for granted.

Just Bill being Bill.

Now as I realise more and more how swiftly our days together are flying

they seem the most precious words I could hear.