It was fifty-two years ago that I met Kathie. In fact I could swear I heard music playing as she came into view for the first time. Was this a sign of what was to come? Then I came to my senses and remembered I was in the church choir loft with the church choir with whom I had become a newly inducted member. We were about to start a Wednesday evening practice. The music was the result of the organist limbering up her musical fingers.
After meeting Kathie that evening we became very good friends immediately. In fact the friendship blossomed so quickly that before I realized it I had mustered up the courage to ask her on a date. We went to a neighboring town to see the popular movie To Sir With Love featuring the rising black star Sidney Poitier.
Mr. Poitier’s role was a rookie teacher in a high school in the slums of New York City and the movie featured his struggle to win the students over to become positive learners and good citizens. Since I was also experiencing my first year as a teacher I was quickly enthralled as the story line unfolded.
I’m not sure how Kathie was enjoying the movie at the time. I imagine since I was five years her senior she may have been a little nervous wondering how the date would progress.
It was, like I said, fifty-two years ago so I don’t remember a lot of the details. I don’t think we held hands or anything even slightly romantic. Our hands may have touched accidently as we reached for the popcorn in the bag that we shared.
I know, I know sharing a bag of popcorn was a really cheap thing to do especially on the first date. But remember I was a first year teacher and those monthly checks could only be stretched to far. 🙂
Our two years of dating just flew by at least for me. Kathie on the other hand after a year of movies, attending high school athletic contests, a couple proms, fishing excursions, watching me play town team baseball and socializing with friends she began to wish for more if you know what I mean.
So when her October birthday rolled around I presented her with a small box wrapped in beautiful paper. She expectantly opened the gift and when it turned out to be a beautiful watch (at least I thought so) I sensed she was disappointed.
I was a slow learner so that Christmas I gave her a wonderful gift too but once again I sensed disappointment.
Finally as her next birthday was approaching I knew I needed to get the courage to go engagement ring shopping. Now I have to admit I have suffered anxiety issues all my life so making a decision as major as marriage was very difficult for me. It would not have played well as a Hallmark movie!
On second thought it might have been a block buster of a movie if we could have gotten the viewers to buy into my crazy behaviors resulting from my anxiety struggles.
That fall with great pride and more then a few butterflies I went to a jewelry store and made the big purchase. And as a sign that it was the right move to make when I slipped the ring on her finger it fit perfectly.
So on December 19th, 1970 with temperatures twenty below zero (wind chills hadn’t been invented yet) and drifting snow things got warmed up in the Ave Maria Catholic Church in Wheaton and fortunately the wedding pulled off with a ‘hitch’. 🙂
So for fifty years Kathie and I have rode the roller coaster of married life.
The first thing we learned was that marriage was hard work. There were ups and downs, one step forward and two steps back from time to time. But I’m sure we both would do it all over again in a heart beat.
I remember the day of the wedding my anxieties were churning away and I did something very important. I said Lord I’m giving this marriage to you. With that the doubts and fears were gone and as we look back over these fifty years all I can say is “Thank you, Lord!” 🙂
Of course the highlight of those fifty years would have to be the arrival of Steve, Jill and Bonnie. Actually there was one more unaccounted for as Kathie suffered a miscarriage early in our marriage. But that gives us something even more to look forward to as it comes time for us to enter those pearly gates.
Hopefully the rumors are true when they say miscarriages and aborted babies are all frolicking in Heaven. What a grand reunion that will be. I wonder if we’ll be able to play a little catch or maybe hide and seek along those streets of gold. 🙂
Both Kathie and I love to sing so the early years of marriage found us attending and singing at many weddings with an occasional funeral thrown in on the side. Now we sing at many funerals and only weddings for very old brides and grooms as we can’t sing those modern tunes the young couples desire. 🙂
The years have been rich with all kinds of activities. The days of changing cloth diapers, rinsing them and storing them in the diaper pail until wash day arrived ended as the kids grew and in a blink of an eye they were in school learning and staying busy with after school events.
It was always a balancing act of being a good parent and attempting to be successful at one’s job. Since I am a workaholic and a teacher’s work is never done my wife (bless her!) had to step in and remind me that our kid’s needed a little attention too.
That is an area I would like to have had a ‘do over’. I didn’t take as much time to smell the roses as I should have and spent more playtime with our three children. Although Steve and I did play catch to the point that my arm nearly fell off and he never got tired of it. 🙂
Soon high school graduations began and before we knew it we were empty nesters. But then the fun really began as our grown children found spouses of their own and grandchildren started to arrive.
The term ‘family’ took on a new, wonderful meaning and it continues with no end in sight.
Last year as our 50th anniversary was approaching discussions began about how we would celebrate. There was talk of visiting the Florida Keys or possibly the white, sandy beaches of North Carolina.
Discussions were stopped when the pandemic arrived. That celebration will have to be put on hold.
On December 19th Kathie and I celebrated our anniversary by calling the local Legion and ordering our favorite steak sandwiches. Together we made the two mile drive into Wheaton, stood on the big X’s marking the Legion floor as we awaited our takeout order.
Returning home we dined under fluorescent lights. We forgot about the candles. 🙁 Completing our anniversary meal we retired to the living room and enjoyed, you guessed it, a very predictable Hallmark movie.
And as all Hallmark movies end with the young couple living happily ever after Kathie and I smiled knowing we have had a fifty year head start in accomplishing that! 🙂
Until next time.
