60 Years

Today is a very special day. My Mamaw and Pawpaw, two of my very favorite people in the whole world, have been married for 60 years!!!! They are truly the cutest couple I've ever seen, and I've always admired the love they have for each other. In the magazine I made for Mamaw for her 80th birthday last year, I had Pawpaw write their love story. It's a good one :)

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I first became aware of the future love of my life on a cloudy day in the late spring of 1951 when I was on military maneuvers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. One day my best friend, Eldon, and I were having a discussion on how to solve the problems of the world and for some reason, he showed me a picture of his sister who, at the time, was a student at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. From that moment on, I had a mission (which was completed on October 18th, 1952.) It was truly love at first sight for me. 

I wrote to her right away and we corresponded for about a year. I finally met Helen Ann face to face about a year later when she, along with several family members, paid a visit to her brother at Fort Bragg. I had thought all along that I was falling in love with her through our writings and that thought became instantly cemented when we finally got together during this visit.

Then, a few weeks later, we met one more time when Helen Ann, her sister Carol, and a friend travelled by train to Roanoke, Virginia to meet with me and Eldon for a long weekend visit. 

After this visit, I immediately wrote Helen telling her how much "I was in love with her and asking that if she loved me as well- then let's get married." Of course I followed up with a phone call and received the best news of my life- she said YES! We were married just a few weeks later.  

Thereafter Helen Ann has been the one who has shared my name, and always added luster to the same.  The one who has shared my joys and cheers me when sad. Simply put, the best friend I ever had!!!!!  My love for her has remained unyielding and unabated since that time. We had two favorite songs back then (“Till the End of Time” and “How Deep is the Ocean, How High is the Sky” and they said and still say it all for me.   The lyrics from both songs were just perfect and I quote from– “How deep is the ocean – how high is the sky”   

How much do I love you?  I’ll tell you no lie.

How deep is the ocean?  How high is the sky?

How many times a day do I think of you?

How many roses are sprinkled with dew?

How far would I travel just to be where you are?

How far is the journey from here to a star?

If I ever lost you, how much would I cry?

How deep is the ocean?  How high is the sky?

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Mamaw and Pawpaw, we love you and miss you so much. We wish we were there to celebrate this huge occasion with you! Happy Anniversary!!!