Valentine’s Day is the perfect day for each of us to look back and reflect on the day we fell in love with our true love. My love story began forty-five years ago on a sunny autumn day. Before I share that day with you, let me tell you a bit about myself back then. I was a naïve thirteen year old girl, the eldest of four girls in my family. We all loved the “Once Upon A Time” fairy tales of finding our prince, our true love. We’d giggle and laugh about the frogs that we’d turn into our prince charmings.
We had recently moved and I had started a new school. There was one guy, J.W., who I thought was cute from the first time I saw him, but he was a senior while I was only in eighth grade. Back in the 1960s most girls were not allowed to date until they were 16 years old. Since my father was very strict with his four daughters it was a given that we would never be allowed to date before that age.
The day I ‘really’ met my husband I was out riding my horse bareback, wearing dirty cut-off jeans, a grungy old T-shirt and barefoot. I was galloping my horse across a field and flying a kite over my head. My mother always said I looked like a wild Indian when I did things like that. I must have looked ridiculous. When I stopped galloping, I looked up to see J.W. sitting on his motorcycle at the edge of the road, watching me. He smiled. I smiled. He waved. I waved back. I trotted over to where he sat. We talked for over an hour. It was so easy to talk and laugh with this guy. I knew in my heart that he was very special, my “Once Upon A Time” prince.
He left and I put my horse in the barn, brushing him down and feeding him with a big smile on my face. I ran into the house and announced to my sisters that I was going to marry that guy someday. They laughed hysterically and told me how crazy I was for thinking such a thing. They thought it was insane because I was only 13 years old and had never even kissed a guy.
J.W. graduated from high school that next spring and I didn’t see him much after that. Every once in a while he would stop by my house to talk. I dated other guys when I turned 16 years old, but in my heart I kept thinking of the guy I felt was my true love.
Well, to make a long story short, we ended up dating and getting married. We were young when we married. Amazingly enough we’ve made it work! There have been tough times along with the many good times. But through all of life’s ups and downs, our love for each other has prevailed. We have had an awesome life together so far. In December 2011 we will celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. My sisters still laugh about that day 45 years ago when I ran into the house and told them I was going to marry my prince charming! And they wonder how a naïve 13 year old girl knew that she had found her true love.
Source:
Very Personal Experience
