Love is Dirty Underwear

Love is dirty underwear
as it turns out
tossed on the bedroom floor
and trailing out to the bathroom and beyond.
Love is first thing in the morning.
It is potent
when the need is there
and sublime on the soft days.
Love, as it turns out
is not only standing up for what you believe in
but standing up with your failures as well
and being brave enough to be imperfect,
flawed, even
as the case may be.
Love is unwavering,
as it turns out
even with bad breath and bed head
first thing in the morning.
Love is perfect in all its ways
even when we are not.
Love is first on God’s to do list for us,
as it turns out.
Love is work and playtime.
Love is I’ll make dinner for you
and you’ll make dinner for me
and we’ll make dinner together
because there’s room enough for two
and plenty of clean counter space,
as it turns out.
Love is clean dishes and soapy water
and alas! Dirty dishes too
when the evening meal’s done.
Love is adjusting the thermostat
and hauling out the A/C
on the days when it’s appropriate.
Above all,
love is unbarricaded
and vulnerable.
Yes, love,
it is vulnerable,
as it turns out.