50 years tomorrow

Crushed

April 17 1972 the USA played China in College park in the famous "Ping Pong diplomacy" match.  I had a part in making the match happen and hand had "VIP tickets" I asked the most wonderful girl on my dorm floor to go with me.  She had turned down every invitation  for 6 months although she would talk to me in the stairwell.  As she said "even if the guy is a toad, it's history"  So she got all dressed up and we went.

By December she agreed to marry me.  Of all the questions I ever ask myself  the biggest is "how was I ever so smart so young?" She was 19.  She has had no idea who I am now for over 3 years, but I know who she was and what she was to me    

So happy Passover Easter and  Ramadan season  Hold fast to love and wonder.   
 

Ed1937

Happy anniversary, Crushed. Persistence pays off.

Beachfan

Crushed, your story made me smile and brought back a memory.  I started dating DH when I was a Freshman in college; he was a Junior.  I had a boyfriend back home and DH had just been dumped by a pert and perky cheerleader on campus.  We hung out over sodas, "studying" in the library, an occasional movie.  Things were not progressing as DH anticipated and when we parted for Christmas vacation, he gave me a month to "fall in love with him."  Turns out, my heart's desire back home was cheating on me at his college (while I guess I was cheating on him); I knew by then that I was falling for DH.  I returned to campus, complied with DH's ultimatum, and almost 54 years later, the rest is history.  Yes, Mayor Ed, persistence does pay off!

Crushed

Beachfan it gets crazier.  After the ping pong match she still would not go out with me After exams in late May the whole dorm floor and many others went camping at Assateague .  During a thunderstorm I got into a tent with a cute girl from Delaware.  After the short storm DW was spitting mad at me.  How could I claim to be interested in her and spend time with someone else  I replied that I thought you are only allowed to say things like that when you are willing to go out with someone

She thought for a moment and said maybe you have a point there  The next week we went to CABARET and I kissed her on a curb and we never looked back
 

jmlarue

The love stories warm the cockles of my heart. I was a Junior in high school when my boyfriend received the infamous draft notice and the likely prospect that he would be going to Vietnam. He surprised me with a ring the night before he was to leave for boot camp and asked me to wait for his return so we could marry. A year and a half later, we planned our wedding via snail mail while he was dodging mortar fire in Vietnam. The wedding date was set exactly one week after he was to scheduled to fly back in country. We were so young and both deprived of the chance for a normal engagement. I know that most of our family were convinced this marriage would never fly. We should be celebrating 54 years together in July. My only regret is that my DH won't understand the significance of the day or recognize the girl he fell in love with over a half century ago,

Marie58

DH and I met while working at a national park during college 43 years ago. Our first date was staying up late and watching northern lights snuggled up in (separate) sleeping bags. We did kiss though   That fall, I moved and enrolled in the college he was going to. We were 'joined at the hip' ever since. We had a lot of magical adventures over the years. He hasn't understood our anniversary for probably 4 years now.

Pam BH

Happy anniversary, Crushed. You have wonderful memories. These love stories are great. Our spouses may not remember but we always will.

loveskitties

My Dad died this past Thursday...he and my mother would have been married 78 years this coming June.

We were fortunate that he remembered the day for at least 75 of those years.

They were high school sweethearts and married just after he was drafted into World War II.

A. Marie

Crushed, I see that you and your DW commemorated the anniversary of the first date, just as my DH and I did. In our case, it was March 10, 1978. We went to see a double feature of Bergman's The Seventh Seal and a parody of same, The Dove. It's a wonder the relationship got off the ground at all after that, but it did; DH was moving me into his apartment a few belongings at a time a week later. Happy anniversary to you and to all of us who hold such happy memories of our partners.

Daughter of a Marine

On March 15, we (I) celebrated 53 yrs of marriage to my one and only.  He is at the Moderate stage of Dementia which for us means that he understood the milestone but hadn't taken the action he had over past decades - no flowers, card, dinner reservations.  Just another day and another reminder of how different things are now, and how much things are likely to continue to change.  This disease is a thief that steals precious moments, memories and future plans.  

My heart goes out to you, Crushed, and to all of us who are living with unspeakable disappointment, shattered dreams and uncertain futures as we continue to love our loves and grasp for strands of hope.  God bless us all. 

toolbeltexpert

Happy Anniversary Crushed

Jeff86

DW and I met in a writing workshop at U. MD. in College Park.  September 1977.  We were both otherwise involved, but became good friends.   Five years later, we disentangled ourselves from other relationships, and as they say the rest is history.  

Of course, only one of us now knows that history.  

JoseyWales

Happy Anniversary, Crushed!

What a fantastic story. 

jfkoc

I first saw my husband walking across a parking lot. I felt something there and then. Maybe it was his coat slung across his shoulder, maybe his fighter pilot swagger or maybe it was just his shoes and socks. To this day I remember the shoes and socks...lol

Jo C.

Sending you warm thoughts today, your 50 year mark.

 Like Crushed, we are a "long haul" couple.  Basically though, we grew up together.

We met at 14 years of age in Junior High School.  We were both in the same large group of friends. We began to date when Juniors in High School going to movies and proms and other activities.  I was an honor student; he was so bright, but more of a free spirit.  Loved how we laughed together and shared.

To the absolute horror and surprising shock of our parents, we eloped at age 18.  Neither of us had been to college, but we never looked back and university came later.  We were persistent and worked hard at all of it to achieve.  Four children and Master's Degrees later and a loving life with travel, our warm home and extended family with grandchildren; for all of which I am so very, very thankful. 

Love him always.

J.