We had a lovely day on September 25th celebrating our anniversary in a true senior way.
Jay got his sore knee injected. He has valiantly suffered in silence as he took care of me in my recovery from surgery. But he was overdue for what he calls a ‘lube job” that will hopefully help him avoid surgery.
While we waited for the doctor, Jay helped me do my side stepping exercises. We suddenly realized we looked like we were dancing. It was our unique anniversary waltz!
We did a drive by of the places we have lived in the past 48 years of life. We were amazed at some of the changes.
The beautiful garden where we got married was retired years ago. While we would like to have it at least memorialized with the same sweet spirit it had that day, it now pays tribute to a different kind of spirit.
It is the home of The James B Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits. Jim Beam Bourbon. Oh well, some people do use bourbon to celebrate events!
We looked at the efficiency apartments where we were living when we met. I thought of how ordinary they look from the outside. And yet the histories that are contained within the walls could be the stuff of movies.
I came out of those doors forever changed from the person who went in. We smiled to remember our youthful passionate summer that ignited a flame that has never been extinguished.
We drove on to our first apartment as married people. Again we smiled to remember how we thought we were adults then. We had real jobs and dreams of a future together.
We thought of how we became a part of an eclectic group of people. All of us were so different, and yet we were drawn together by living in such close proximity to each other.
We wondered what happened to our neighbors. We all vowed to stay in touch, but we didn’t. We all moved on and did not look back, except on occasions such as this.
We continued our driving tour by looking at our first home. It was small, it had no garage, and window air conditioners. But it had a huge backyard on a steep slope that went down to a creek.
Kids would come from miles around to go sledding in our back yard in winter. And in summer, they would search the creek for its treasures.
That house contained our treasures for many years. It was there the two of us became three, when our daughter was born. When we moved, we carried an abundance of memories of good times we had had with our growing child.
We drove by other places that had been sites of good times over the years. Most of all, we remembered the people who had helped make those times good.
Some of them await our arrival in heaven.
Some of them are still somewhere on earth, but we don’t know where. We hope wherever they are, they remember us with a smile. Perhaps they might be wondering whatever happened to the Jones.
After our memories tour, we came home to our dream home, the one we had built in 1994. We have changed our home over the years to fit our different life styles. It is filled with memories of us and dreams of what we hope will be.
I am recovering from having had a serious surgery in July. Our living room and dining room have become temporary bedrooms and treatment rooms. Our family room has been the living quarters of 24 hour care givers.
As my need for physical care decreased, our need for simple companionship increased. And thus came our real anniversary gifts. Jay and I got to reminisce with our guests. Day after day, night after sleepless night, we shared the stories of our many years together.
Day after day, night after sleepless night, they heard us call each other’s name and hold each other close.
They heard us battle doubts and fears. But they also saw Joy continue to rise as we embraced hope and dreams, as we always have.
Some said we gave them the gift of seeing up close and personal what true, lasting Love looks like.
We ended our anniversary date by going for a sunset ride. We watched the sun disappear from its day. We watched the moon smile at us.
We saw horses and deer in green pastures. We watched planes come and go at the airport. We looked for the “sunset lady”, who takes a walk every night at sunset.
As I closed my eyes at the end of the day, I was full of the love and joy Jay and I have shared for 48 years. He fed me chocolate, rubbed my feet, and we dreamed of the possibilities of tomorrow.
It was fun to remember the way we were. But more importantly, we love each other now as the people we have become. And we treasure each moment, perhaps now even more than we did in our youth.
We have dreams for the future, but we realize our Creator is in charge. He has The Plan and as John said,
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
1 John 3:2
