“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” – Maya Angelou On July 9, 1966, two young, strong, independent people...a 22-yr-old girl and a 24-yr-old guy... decided to drive over to Aiken, SC and stand before a Justice of the Peace promising love and faithfulness to each other in every circumstance that might come their way...in "better, richer, healthier" times... and also in "worse, poorer, sicker" times. There was no big fanfare that day....no expensive wedding dress...no pictures...no family or friends, but I can assure you there was PLENTY of love... and respect... and hope for their new journey together. If you do the math, that means tomorrow should be their 50th wedding anniversary, and because these incredible people are our parents, my sister and I have had the plans in the works for months...a special reception to honor them and the great love they've shared all these years. However, our plans for a Golden Anniversary celebration were put aside when our God's Plan prevailed, and we said a final goodbye to our Daddy on April 12th of this year. If you know much about me at all, then you should be well-informed about my parents and their extraordinary life stories by now. If not, please take time to read them. You can find them here: "My Hero Is the Strong Silent Type" and here: "A Steel Magnolia Hits 70". The rest of this post will make a lot more sense if you do. :) "What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” – Helen Keller It's still SO hard to realize that he's gone. When I think about Mama, I just automatically think about Daddy. They've always been a "package deal".... "Mary & Kerry".... "Mama & Daddy"...."Mema & Papa". It's just a natural combination in my mind, and I'm just not willing to let that bond go. It is SO very deep in me, and even though he's been walking streets of gold for several months now, I've decided that a "Golden Love" like my parents shared still deserves to be honored. It needs to be celebrated, so that's what this post is all about. Let me show you... “Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl, and her laughter was a question he wanted to spend his whole life answering.” – Nicole Krauss Obviously, I wasn't there, but I have often imagined how that first encounter between Mama and Daddy went. Daddy was a long-time student at the Georgia School for the Deaf, starting as a very young boy. Mama was a newcomer much later in their teen years. I know in my heart that handsome Kerry (the red-headed sports hunk) was instantly smitten with pretty Mary (the new girl with plenty of spunk), and I think Mama was simply starstruck by his attention. He was, without question, Mama's "knight in shining armor".....a beacon of light in her very silent world. “Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.” – Bruce Lee Time kept moving, and along with it, Mary Louise & Kerry built a beautiful life together that resulted in two long successful careers, a dedicated church life, and most importantly two daughters, two sons-in-law, and three grandchildren. Mema & Papa have always ADORED their little family...particularly those grandbabies from the moment they knew they were going to be grandparents! “You are the finest, loveliest, tenderest, and most beautiful person I have ever known and even that is an understatement.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald Even so, the bottom line is this... other than their God, they loved no one more than they did each other. They were inseparable. They cherished every.single.moment they had together. From 1966-1992, they went and did and enjoyed life to the fullest with their deaf friends. When life changed dramatically for them in 1993 with Daddy's severe stroke, I watched them through my own adult eyes as they tackled it head-on together. They promised "In sickness and in health..." remember? Daddy was totally dependent on Mama (his sole care-giver) for the last 23 years of his life, and Mama wouldn't have had it any other way. They were a VERY special couple. “I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach.” – Elizabeth Browning Of all the pictures of Mama & Daddy that I've collected or taken myself over the years, I will cherish these next two the most because they are the last I have of the two of them together from the last week of Daddy's life. I sat in a corner in the hospital room and just watched them interact. I think they honestly forgot I was even there. No words to each other this time...no signing....just looks... and smiles... and nods. I'm telling you, sometimes they even had their own unspoken language between them that just warms me to my core. My Daddy loved my Mama SO much. Even when she would nod off from exhaustion, he would still just stare at her...taking in her very essence for reassurance. "To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.” – David Viscott Simply by watching Mama & Daddy over the years, my sister and I have had the very BEST example of marriage and what it truly means to be committed to your spouse. I will be eternally grateful for their faithfulness to each other. Mama, I know you are reading this, so now I am talking to you specifically. Heather and I know you miss Daddy every moment of every day. We also know how important getting to this 50th year milestone was to both of you. We say that you made it, Mama. Fifty-PLUS "golden" years! Your and Daddy's love for each other will live on WAY beyond 2016! We're so proud of you for your incredible courage and amazing strength! Happy Anniversary, Mama! We will NEVER forget our Daddy and Papa....the great Love of your life!
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AuthorHi! I'm Dot. I refuse to succumb to the "empty nest syndrome"! So, this is my journal.....my photo album.....my attempt to enjoy the next chapter of my life as it unfolds. Welcome to The Roomy Nest! Archives
January 2020
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