I have a terrific marriage, but unlike a lot of relationships

Hear now, O students of love and wanderers of the heart, the words of Hugh Jackman, a man of strength and grace, who once said: “I have a terrific marriage, but unlike a lot of relationships where they ebb and flow, no matter what happens you fall deeper and deeper in love every day. It’s kind of the best thing that can happen to you. It’s thrilling.” These words, though spoken with simplicity, contain the essence of enduring love — a truth known to the ancients yet forgotten by many in our restless age. For Jackman speaks not of passion that burns and fades, but of the sacred fire that grows brighter through the years, fed by devotion, humility, and daily wonder.

The meaning of his words lies in their quiet reverence for constancy. Many believe that marriage is a tale of cycles — of joy and decline, of warmth and distance, of love that flickers as the seasons turn. But Jackman reveals another path: a union that deepens with time, where the roots of affection grow stronger beneath the surface even as the storms of life pass overhead. To fall “deeper and deeper in love every day” is to rediscover one’s beloved anew with each sunrise — to see not just the face of a partner, but the reflection of one’s own soul refined through love’s mirror. This is not the fleeting thrill of desire, but the enduring thrill of companionship that transcends youth and beauty, finding joy instead in shared purpose and unwavering tenderness.

The origin of this wisdom springs from Jackman’s own life, and from his enduring bond with his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness. Their marriage, lasting decades in a world of fleeting vows, has become a beacon of loyalty amid the noise of celebrity and ambition. They have walked together through triumphs and trials — through the glitter of fame and the quiet ache of personal struggle — yet always, they have stood as one. When Jackman speaks of his marriage, he does not boast of perfection, but of partnership: of two souls who have chosen, again and again, to love rather than to leave, to cherish rather than to compare.

This kind of love has its ancient echoes. Think of Odysseus and Penelope, bound by patience and faith across the long years of separation. Though distance and temptation tested them, their hearts remained tethered, each holding the other in trust until the day of reunion. Or recall Marcus Aurelius and Faustina, whose letters spoke not only of passion but of respect — of two minds joined as much by virtue as by affection. In every age, the greatest loves have been those that endure, not because they escape the storms of life, but because they face them hand in hand, and emerge stronger, purified by endurance.

When Jackman calls such love “thrilling,” he redefines the word. The thrill he speaks of is not the dizzying pulse of novelty, but the awe of intimacy — the wonder of knowing another so deeply that even silence becomes communion. The thrill lies in the discovery that love, when tended faithfully, does not diminish with time but expands, encompassing all of life: the laughter and the tears, the triumphs and the scars. It is the thrill of two spirits who, walking the same path, come to see the divine in one another.

Yet, his words also offer a challenge. In an age where relationships often falter under the weight of convenience and distraction, Jackman’s vision demands intentional love. To fall “deeper and deeper” requires effort: to listen, to forgive, to serve, and to see beyond the self. It is a discipline as much as a joy. The ancients knew this — that love, like a flame, must be guarded against the winds of pride and neglect. The lovers who endure are those who tend the fire daily, not with grand gestures, but with small acts of faithfulness — a kind word, a listening ear, a gentle hand.

Therefore, O listeners, take this lesson into your hearts: that true marriage is not a static state, but a living journey. Do not be content with love that merely survives; strive for love that evolves, that deepens, that astonishes even in its familiarity. See your beloved not as they were, but as they are — ever-changing, ever-becoming, a soul whose depths you have yet to fully explore. Let your devotion be both anchor and sail: steady in commitment, yet daring in discovery.

Thus spoke Hugh Jackman, and through him, the voice of ancient wisdom whispers again: that the greatest joy in this life is not to find love once, but to find it anew each day with the same heart. For love that endures through the ages is not built on passion alone, but on reverence — the sacred art of falling, again and again, into the same embrace, only to rise stronger, freer, and ever more alive.