24 and counting…

It started innocent enough.

I spotted her from across the room.

That red headed girl. She made me feel like Charlie Brown. (Who am I kidding, I was Charlie Brown.)

Somewhere along the way, she showed me I could be Westley, but to win her, there would be sword fights, pirates, murder… true love. (it didn’t sound like such a bad story). Then, I left, just like Westley, to find my way so that I could make something for us.

Somewhere along the road, I think I might have gotten a little lost, but, there she was, back home, my anchor to reality. I wanted so desperately to be somebody, to be better than the dork and nerd I had come to be (btw, this was way before that was the in thing…WAY before). I wanted to prove to the world that I had value, that I was special, that I could do things they only dreamed of.

I never noticed I already was that to her.

She made me believe. Believe in something I never believed in before.

Myself.

So, I asked. She said yes. I said when, she said now. I said “I’ll hurry home.”

War started. I was delayed. But, war can’t stop true love, it can only delay it by a day.

I stood there. She walked in. All in white, me in Navy blue.

I said “I do.” She said “Me too.”

The kiss.

She has never completed me, that’s not her job (That belongs to God alone). But, she is the best compliment I could ever ask for.

24 years ago today.

Like a blink as I look back. A blink filled with tears.

As with all good stories.. this one is

Too be continued…