Whilst I may be good at finding things which are lost, I absolutely suck at seeing things right in front of me.

My wife, Katherine the great, is renowned for putting things down in the most unlikely of places. The results of this behavior is that she often is looking for things she has misplaced. Less often, but frequently, she gives up her quest in favor of sending me on one. She does so in full confidence that I will locate the missing object(s) and deliver them to her. Perhaps, seemingly contrary, to my known sighted shortcomings.

You might ask how I am able to pull off such feats of finding, challenged as I am. It is through a known secret of success in life called persistence. Persistence allows for apparent wisdom in novices and knaves, luck to shine her face on those who never win, and victory to come to those less capable than most.

Someone, not likely Woody Allen, said “Ninety percent of success is showing up.” Well, I am here to say, just showing up ain’t enough. You better be prepared to stay awhile.

Persistence is, in large, why I am married today. My wife demonstrated incredible persistence in getting me to the altar in the face of my somewhat childish and roguish behavior during our courting. Though I knew I didn’t deserve her, and could not do no better in any woman yet walking this earth, I was recalcitrant to the bit and bucked her all the way down the aisle. She broke me with love.

So it is with great humility that I come to confess I have found today what has been in plain sight lo these many married years. Smoldering love that lay dormant as lava within the belly of a volcano. Passion, driven by the fiery lust of said love. I’d have never taken a bet on the long shot that my wife today is hotter than when we married. To my taste, she is hotter than a Mexican jalapeño.

Katherine the great, in plain sight.