42 Years Later...
12 09 11 14:45 Filed in: My Life | Grief Notes
September 12, 1969 - it was a very good day! I’m marking this anniversary with memories of that day: The most beautiful bride I’d ever seen on the arm of the world’s most nervous father (by the time of the third wedding, he had it down pat, but this was his first).... The nervous but audible declaration of commitment.... The frozen facial muscles at the reception, unable to stop smiling (but who wanted to?).... The flat tire in Watts on the way to the Los Angeles airport for the last flight of the day to the San Francisco Bay area.... The Los Angeles police officer and deputy city attorney who had that tire changed in record time.... The unexpected and delightful embarrassment of being welcomed onboard Joan’s first-ever flight as newlyweds by a plane-load of amused applauding passengers (just how much of a scene did my family make trying to find out if we were REALLY booked on that flight?).... The beginning of a life together....
Quite honestly, there are parts of the day that I don’t remember. I know I went for a meditative drive that afternoon, praying about the dramatic change that was about to take place in my life, but I have no idea where I went, a memory lapse that amused Joan no end.
Our last few anniversaries together were complicated by two things. Celebrating the day after 9/11 could be a challenge and injected a sometimes muted tone to our celebration. And the annual fall school retreat, mandatory for faculty, frequently overlapped our anniversary. The incompatible retreat goals of discipleship and sleep deprivation sometimes delayed our anniversary - until my last year of teaching when I got smart enough to take Joan along. I’m pretty sure our last anniversary included a shared meal in the hospital ATU.
Til death do us part has not transformed September 12 into just another day on the calendar. Some of my friends and relatives notice the significance of this date, but most avoid mentioning it, not quite knowing what to say. Somehow “Happy anniversary” doesn’t quite seem right. However, the truth of the matter is that it IS joyful, if not happy as well.
My mind meanders through memories that trigger a marvelous mixture of smiles, tears, and gratitude. It is a very good day indeed!
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