BEING married for 20 years is no easy feat and according to Will Smith, his longtime marriage to wife Jada Pinkett Smith has taught him a lot about love.
"20 years ago today we held hands and walked naively down that aisle," Will, 49, captioned a photo of their wedding day in 1997.
"Love is like gardening," he said. "I have learned to focus on helping you to blossom into what you want to be (into what you were born to be) … Rather than demanding that you become what my fragile ego needs you to be."
He also claims he learned to take pleasure in nourishing Jada's dreams, "rather than wrestling with you to fulfil my selfish needs and satiate my insecurities."
Finally, he learned that "love is listening. Love is giving. Love is freedom".
He ended his heartfelt message by reaffirming his devotion to nurturing her deepest truth.
In light of lasting longer than most Hollywood marriages, Jada, 46, told NBC's Megyn Kelly in July that she and Will owe their success to putting in the "work".
"You think you know the person you're with after 15 years," she said. "But that's not true. I'm learning more … I'm just learning more about myself and so is he … That's what this is all about. Learning and growing together."
The couple have two children, Jaden, 19, and Willow, 17. Will also has an older son, Trey, 25, from a previous relationship.
This article was originally published on the New York Post and is reproduced here with permission.
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