above all things

Currently I am reading a booked titled The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy. It's a book that Tim read for one of his philosophy classes. I am only a few chapters into it, but I thought the main character, Ivan Ilyich, had a distrubing take on his marriage.

"Of married life he demanded only the convenience it could provide - dinners at home, a well-run household, a partner in bed, and above all, a veneer of respectability which public opionion required."

It bothers me because he had no love for his wife. He was married primarly because it would keep him in good graces with society. He led his entire life this way.

In my marriage, sure we have some of the same things that Ivan wanted....dinners at home, a pretty-well run household (no one's perfect, right?), a partner in bed.....only in our marriage, there is love. The greatest gift is love.

Above all else...there is love.