Did you ever find something?
Something you didn’t know you were looking for?
From my second story window, I could see him walking through the quad in his grey denim, fleece lined jacket.
From his third story window, he could see me walking through the quad with my wildly permed, teased and hairsprayed hair.
That was in back then.
It was 1986. We did not know each other, but that changed the day he showed up at my dormitory door with a friend. I think it was my hair, pointy toed flats and ankle length skirts from The Limited that drew him in.
I arrived at college that fall thinking I was going to conquer the world. I was going to become something big. Something giving me the opportunity live in metropolitan cities, travel the world and wear business suits. I was ready to leave small town Midwestern living behind. I just needed to figure out what that something was — and to obtain the diploma indicating I could do it.
Long story, made short — that’s not what happened. Sure, I got a degree. I moved to the big city, albeit in my home state. I even got to wear business suits to my job. What I wasn’t expecting, was to find myself attached to the man in the grey denim jacket.
How it happened, I am not quite sure. I did just about everything in my power to push him away, but he hung in. Something in him, saw that something in me, needed the trust, stability and normalcy he could offer.
And, I did. I really, really did.
There must have been something in me that saw it, too.
For over thirty years now, almost a quarter of a century married, we have travelled life as a team. We’ve shared many of the joys and sorrows life has to offer, knowing that come what may, we’ve got each other.
I struggled a bit to write my love story. Not only because I respect my husband’s wish to not become one of my writing subjects, but also because it’s not riveting. For a minute, I felt my love story was an outlier.
The outside world often portrays love as full of conflict and passion.
A local jewelry store sells fire and ice diamonds.
Books, songs and movies about love are filled with drama.
My love story isn’t dramatic.
My love story is filled with showing up, day-in and day-out.
My love story is about being able to avoid conflict and drama.
My love story is full of stability, trust and ‘I’ve got your back and I know you’ve got mine’.
From my second-story window, looking down into the quad, I found the greatest gift I did not know I was looking for.
I found a love to last a lifetime.
He was wearing a grey denim, fleece lined jacket.
