Turning Ugly into Lovely

Busy has been the definition of our day, but throughout the day we've had some moments of brief conversation acknowledging the significance of this day.

Mr. Fun didn't send me roses today, but he didn't need to because together we've constructed a life and a home that is lovely with flowers, at least at the moment flowers are blooming and shrubs are sprouting and the rose captured for today's blip is from our backyard.

Most everything in our life together is anchored in the story that began 46 years ago today. I wrote about it last year, so there is no need to repeat that portion now, but someday I need to unpack the story to explain that we didn't remain together back then because there was a former girlfriend who came back to claim him. The narrative is ugly. Before he knew my condition, he was headed to the altar with her.

One day before wedding bells rang for the two of them, the news of me (which should have been the news about "us") reached the parents of the bride-to-be. The story is ugly. I used to apologize for the ugliness of the plot, but no longer.

We were all young, and even though we made some terrible choices, we were so naïve and looking for love in the wrong place. Their wedding was called off.

Today, looking back, if that story and all its ugliness were the only way I could have Mr. Fun, well then, I'd repeat the story. I can't imagine having lived my life without him.

So 3 months after that day of ditching school, Mr. Fun & I were married. Then on my 16th birthday that November, our son arrived. So February 25th is a significant day and every year we pause to consider the brush with destiny that happened on February 25th, 1965. I still blush because the story has such an unlovely beginning. I'm glad it didn't end ugly, but rather transformed into loveliness.

Life is not a bowl of cherries nor a bed of roses, but we've worked hard at transforming ugly and turning it into lovely. The two of us have been blessed beyond measure, and that's not to say that life has been easy.

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