Each wedding anniversary is associated with a particular type of gift/material such as gold, leather, silver, etc. For the fifth wedding anniversary, it is wood and it is a very fitting material for this small milestone.
We build houses, furniture and even make jewelry out of wood. When properly carved, adorned and maintained or left to grow in its natural state, it is the epitome of strength and beauty. When neglected, it gets dry, dusty, maybe even cracked and broken. Too much whittling will literally make it disappear and too much water can actually drown a tree’s roots.
As my husband and I acknowledge our fifth wedding anniversary today, I’m thinking about the symbolism in this material. I’m also thinking about the tattoo on the small of my back. (Yes, I have a “tramp stamp,” but shut up! It’s meaningful damn it.) It is an adinkra symbol from Ghana called the sankofa. It is about the importance of remembering and learning from the past. Our marriage is five years old (together for a total of seven years), so of course in that time we’ve created many memories and have grown and changed as individuals and as a couple. Forever is a lot longer than five years and there are many more memories to make, but here are five things I’ve learned or been reminded of as a marriage rookie:
