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"Our spouses are often our teachers, guiding us in ways that may be clear only in retrospect." This would be a lovely sentiment voiced by anyone, but when it comes from Mark Kelly, it's a tear-jerker. Kelly is the husband of Arizona's 8th Congressional District Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was almost killed in an assassination attempt in Tucson a year ago. As Kelly writes on Maria Shriver's blog, he and his wife were total go-getters, focused on "the urgency of now."  They were even about to start fertility treatments, hoping to add a child to their super-successful, full lives.

Then came the gunshot that changed everything. In this must-read post, Kelly writes movingly about one of the unexpected gifts of Giffords' long road to recovery. Excruciatingly, this bright, articulate woman has had to relearn how to talk, and, as Kelly writes, "After she was injured, friends and family would often interrupt her, saying the words they thought she meant to say. They were trying to help, but I saw this only added to Gabby’s sense of powerlessness." He admits that he himself had trouble being patient, but was buoyed by remembering his wife's own immense patience. Read the post for the amazing story of their conversation with the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, a portrait of an incredibly strong marriage, and the sweetest anniversary present ever. Then, apologize to your husband for arguing over who's taking out the recycling next.

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