Walking Beside Them

Story By A friend of the house and keeper of the wine and snacks

Let me tell you something about walking alongside people you love through real, vulnerable, life-altering stuff it changes you too.

I’ve had the privilege of being in the trenches and on the mountaintops with the man and lady of the house. Not just as a bystander, but as a witness, a comforter, a cheerleader, and occasionally the one who comes over uninvited just to make sure everyone’s eaten something other than coffee and stress.

Their story the one they share here on Beyond the Ruler isn’t fiction. It’s raw. It’s layered. It’s brave. And it’s built on a foundation of love that doesn’t look like anyone else’s, because it was never meant to.

I’ve seen what it’s like to live with the silent weight of not measuring up especially when it comes to size. And not just physical measurements, but all the ways the world tells you you’re “not enough.” I’ve sat with the man of the house on hard days when shame tried to take the lead, when comparison crept in, when silence felt safer than vulnerability. And I’ve watched him dig deep, love deeper, and choose transparency over performance.

I’ve held space with the lady of the house too—listening as she unpacked what it means to love fully, not because someone fits a mold, but because they don’t. Her strength isn’t in how loud she can be it’s in how consistently she shows up, how fiercely she protects, and how gently she loves.

What they’ve created together through this blog is more than stories it’s a testimony. It’s proof that love can break through conditioning, that intimacy can thrive where shame once lived, and that size whatever it is doesn’t determine a man’s worth or his capacity to love and be loved.

And me? I’ve been in the background with my snacks, my sarcasm, and my full heart. I’ve watched them stumble, regroup, grow, and glow. I’ve shared laughter, wiped tears, poured wine, and ordered takeout when no one had the energy to cook. Because that’s what friends do.

So to anyone reading this, wondering if real love can exist outside of what’s marketed to us yes, it can. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived in its orbit. And it’s more honest, more passionate, and more healing than any fairytale.

Keep reading. Keep showing up for yourself. And if you ever need a friend like me bring wine.

With love and a side of sass,

A

Friend of the house, protector of hearts, and unofficial snack ambassador