On this day, June 12, a lifetime ago, I married my best friend.
Only a week earlier, we had graduated from university. We were all grown up and painfully unemployed. Didn’t matter. We had each other.
The ceremony was held in the tiny country church I attended while growing up. Most of the attendants were our friends from university who, since their actual homes were scattered all over the US, had spent the past week at my house.
We vowed “Till death us do part,” and we meant it. All the grandparents, parents, and my husband, Robert, are gone now. I’m the last one standing.
While we dated, our song — the one that always seemed to play when we were dancing anywhere, the — was Desert Moon by Dennis DeYoung. (How very 80s, I know. We were both big Styx fans.) Even then, we recognized the oddity of having a sad song about dreams and lost opportunities be “ours,” but we just shrugged and kept on dancing.
We had no idea what the future held. And what a gift not knowing is.
If we HAD known that only 7 years later the seizures would start, the brain tumor would be detected, launching years and years of struggles and surgeries that could only have one inevitable, devastating final chapter, fear and anxiety would have consumed us. We could not possibly have been so happy.
But we didn’t know. So we were happy. And that, my friends, is all anyone can hope for.
Whatever is happening in your life right now—I encourage you to lean into it. Don’t worry about what the future holds. Don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow or worry about What Might Be. Today is yours to do what you will. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Tell the people who are important to you that you love them.
Snuggle your furry friends.
Spend some time in a hobby you enjoy, but haven’t indulged in for awhile.
Turn off your phone and go for a long walk without it.
Eat dessert first.
Every day of life is an unexpected, unmined treasure. If you woke up this morning, you are richly blessed.
Thank you for reading! I am so grateful to have you in my life. And I’m curious:
What simple things make you happy?
What dreams have you lost, or given up lately? What would it take to reclaim them?
I'm not crying your crying! You know I'm an easy crier!! Beautiful Ami. Just beautiful.
Oh we were so young we thought we had forever. Enjoy every day you have with the people in your life because you never know. We just found out our furry pup only has a short time. She may be just a dog to some but she is our best friend. We will embrace every moment we have left.
I also lost my husband and in the 2 months we had left together we tried to squeeze in every moment possible.
Just remember you only have today tomorrow is never guaranteed. Don't waste time on anger or resentment. Go into every day as it's your last.
Amy and Robert lived and loved and struggled but they had an amazing love and they have a beautiful child. Happy anniversary to the memories. Love you Lori