Young Lovers

Personal thoughts on a significant calendar date:

Afternoon meetings were on both of our schedules. We knew we had to get to the doggie eye doctor office in Tustin before 5:00 p.m. to get Bob dog's refill of eye medicine.

Shortly after 4 o'clock, we had rendezvoused and were in the car and headed to Orange County. After the stop at the veterinarian office, we knew we were headed for a date night. We both thought the ocean sounded like a lovely destination. Then the conversation started that took us down a long, long highway for memory.

It was many years ago today, February 25, that I ditched school and walked to the apartment that Mr. Fun shared with several of his buddies. I was a high school sophomore. He was a college freshman. All of his buddies were gone to school or work. The two of us spent the day together.

At the end of the day, we were 2 teenagers in more trouble than we could even imagine. Of course it was a number of weeks before we knew that. The disappointment and embarrassment we caused our parents can hardly be imagined today because the world has changed so much since then.

Every year on this date we pause to ponder the "what ifs," the "how comes," and exit the other side of the conversation thankful that we each found the other and amazed that we did and then acknowledging the miracle of staying together in spite of some major obstacles and hurdles in our path. There have been times the thread that holds us together has been so thin that it is invisible and other times the huge holes in our safety net have almost allowed us to fall through.

As we sat on the outside balcony, under the patio heaters, at the Beach House Restaurant in Laguna enjoying our dinner, the young lovers on the sand below us seemed more than apropos for the back story of our day. (It's even lovelier in "big" -- tap the magnifying glass above.)

Tonight we're finding meaning in the memories. I'm sure there is a song or a poem that would enhance these thoughts, but honestly what keeps coming to mind is my mom, back then, saying angrily to me, "You're not old enough to be in love," and now knowing that puppy love is real to puppies!

Good night from Southern California.
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol

P.S. Thanks for all the comments on yesterday's page.