Uncensored Thoughts on Sex, Vulnerability, and Spirituality After 6 Years of Marriage

We found ourselves in Iceland on our sixth wedding anniversary.

It was our first “big” vacation in four years. Between moving to Colorado, buying a house, renovating said house, changing jobs, and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, international travel just wasn’t in the cards (or, to be honest, the budget).

However, at the tail end of 2021, we decided it was time for a real vacation. So, we cashed in a lot of credit cards miles we’d accumulated (Pro tip: If you’re renovating a house, run every purchase and contract labor expense through a travel card), booked a flight to Iceland, and planned out a 2-week road trip along the famous “Ring Road” that traces the island’s coastline.

On the day of our wedding anniversary, we boarded a “Superjeep,” crossed multiple glacier meltwater rivers, and entered Þórsmörk, a beautiful valley in the southern highlands nestled between three glaciers and a volcano. It was also, to put it mildly, a beautiful day in Iceland — sunny skies, no clouds, and the occasional cooling breeze.

Our guide took us to the top of a narrow peak to eat our pre-packaged lunch. There, we sat and ate overlooking a landscape of braided rivers, glacial valleys, and volcanic upheaval. It felt, to be honest…