All My Love And Devotion: A True Story

Written by Ellen M. DuBois


They met at a dance in 1931, and six months later, on January 30, 1932, were married. I am speaking of my Nana and Pop, (grandparents), who for sixty years were not just married, but were in love. Really IN LOVE.

I have chronicled their love through some very touching cards, (I found them in a box, tucked away with a lifetime of memories), that were shared between them before and after my father was born. Most are from my Grandfather to my Grandmother. He drove and worked and she was home so his ability to buy cards for her was greater.

Five years into their marriage they had a son. Their love was as strong as ever...growing stronger with each passing day, month and year as you will see.

I was witness to their special love for thirty years of my life, and for four more afterrepparttar passing of my "Pop" as I watched my Nana's heart slowly die of emptiness. She was literally, without her other half. If you believe in soul mates, they were soul mates inrepparttar 111657 truest sense.

I don't have every sentiment ever expressed betweenrepparttar 111658 two of them, (those are theirs alone), but was lucky enough to find a box of perfectly kept cards, beginning inrepparttar 111659 year 1932.

1932: A Valentine To My Wife "I chose this loving Valentine especially for you, Because it's meant for Someone Who means more than others do; and it simply says, "I Love You", but within that little phrase, is a message that will tell you That I'll care for you Always!" Signed: Torepparttar 111660 loveliest girl inrepparttar 111661 world- And loveliest Valentine Always- Love and Devotion, Hubby Atomic Equation XXXXXX XXXX = XXXXXXXX= million

1935: To My Darling Sweetheart On Your Christmas Birthday A Birthday Message To My Wife "There's so much that's dear about you, There's so much that's sweet and fine, And so many special reasons- That I'm proud and glad you're mine -- It's no wonder that I love you so- And specially want to say - That I'm wishing happiness for you- With all my heart today." Signed: Torepparttar 111662 dearest wife inrepparttar 111663 world. A few Birthdays have gone. I wish from my heart that we will spend a hundred more together. From Hubby

1947: With Love to My Wife on our Anniversary, You're Very Dear to Me "I never knew what love could mean- Tillrepparttar 111664 day that I met you- I never knew that life could hold-A happiness so true- And on this day that's ours alone- From all other days apart- I send my very deepest love- To you, my own Sweetheart" Signed: This message expresses Everything. With all my Love and Devotion, Al.

1948: Mother's Day, Torepparttar 111665 greatest Mother inrepparttar 111666 World To My Wife and Sweetheart For Mother's Day "Perhaps you think that I don't knowrepparttar 111667 countless things you do- To make our homerepparttar 111668 happy home I proudly share with you. But, believe me, Dear, I love you- As a Sweetheart and a Wife, And on Mother's Day I'm wishing you- The deepest joys in life!" Signed: With all my Love and Devotion, Forrepparttar 111669 Loveliest Mother and Wife inrepparttar 111670 World. - Hubby 1932 to 1954: (22 years married) An Anniversary Greeting forrepparttar 111671 Dearest Wife inrepparttar 111672 World "I cherish our Anniversary, Dear, Much more than you could guess...It stands forrepparttar 111673 day that brought me YOU And all my happiness! I treasure every memory, Dear, Still more as time goes by, And look torepparttar 111674 happy future That we'll share, Dear, you and I!" Signed: I just think it's wonderful. They have been all so lovely. With all my Love and Devotion, To my Sweetheart and Wife. Al.

1954: For My Wonderful Wife On Mother's Day "Your love is a precious thing to me, A comfort in times of stress, The reason for all I ever do, My pride- and my happiness...And, Darling, on Mother's Day this year I feel as I always do: The sweetest gift that a man could know Is a wonderful Wife like you." Signed: The greatest of them all. With my Love and Devotion. A million kisses. Hubby

1954: To My Husband on our 22nd Anniversary To My Husband on Our Anniversary "This Anniversary, Darling, Is especially dear to me, It stands for precious memories- And for happy years to be...It proves that love like ours Just deepens year by year, It makes me realize even more How much I love you, Dear!" Signed: With all My Love and Kisses. I only hope we spend many more Happy Anniversary's together. Hon

1965: To My Loving Wife From Hubby, To Mom On Easter Sunday Easter Greetings to my Wife "You arerepparttar 111675 Keeper of My Heart." "You arerepparttar 111676 keeper of my heart-- If all my dreams came true You arerepparttar 111677 one-- and you alone -- That I would bring them to; So may this Easter greeting, Dear, One thought alone impart -- You are, and you will always be- The keeper of my heart." Signed: With all my Love and Devotion, With all Easter Wishes, Hubby (Over) "Do you want a hammer and a peg? Or do you want an Easter Egg? Or do you wantrepparttar 111678 sky to be blue or gray? So you and me can be so gay. On this Easter Day, O' mom, even if sky is not blue, I will always, forever and ever, love you!" Sonny (my father)

Sunset in the Rear-view Mirror

Written by Sheryl Simons


Sunset inrepparttar Rear-view Mirror

Driving home from work late one night, I couldn't help but notice it was almost dusk. I was headed North, and driving right along withrepparttar 111656 setting sun on my left. With a slight headache, my thoughts drifted throughrepparttar 111657 day at work that was over. I work at a domestic violence shelter, and it seems one can never know from one moment torepparttar 111658 next what to expect. As I drive home atrepparttar 111659 end ofrepparttar 111660 day, it is not unusual for me to think of my life, and allrepparttar 111661 changes that have come about. I once wasrepparttar 111662 victim of domestic violence, myself. I was never beaten. I was threatened, had things broken, yelled at, but these were not something I could easily identify as abuse. I'd always thought abuse was hitting; a physical pain. The sky was slowly darkening andrepparttar 111663 feathery wisps of clouds turned to pretty pastels. I continued to keep one eye onrepparttar 111664 clouds as I watchedrepparttar 111665 road and let my mind wander. I often had tried to reason with my husband. He need not yell. I could hear what he was trying to say. I just didn't always agree with him. Did we have to thinkrepparttar 111666 same way about everything? Was that what it meant to be submissive, I often wondered. I usually acquiesced. He wasrepparttar 111667 head ofrepparttar 111668 household, I wasrepparttar 111669 wife. That was my role. He plowed ahead, I tried to follow. Often I felt put-down and betrayed;repparttar 111670 butt of his jokes. He actually seemed to enjoy putting me down, but my own husband wouldn't do that, would he? He loved me! I must berepparttar 111671 cause of our problems. Sometimes he used my ideas and passed them off as his. If it was my idea, how could it be right? Silly me, I wasrepparttar 111672 stupid one. It was just easier to agree and go along, than fight. I wanted peace at any cost. I didn't know it cost giving up myself. But no one else seemed to notice, no one but me. And life had been so promising. I'd been a good student. I hadn't made many ofrepparttar 111673 mistakes my classmates had made. I thought I was steady and a common sense thinker, but why couldn't I do anything right in my marriage? Our three children were notrepparttar 111674 butt of his violent temper, I was. As long as it was directed at me, it didn't hurt them, did it? My car leftrepparttar 111675 freeway, and I was now headed inrepparttar 111676 opposite direction ofrepparttar 111677 beautiful sunset that was transpiring. I hated to leaverepparttar 111678 florescent sky behind, but my trip must continue. I was headed home. Home now, was not withrepparttar 111679 man I married. After 16 years, I'd left him, unable through counseling to find any way to reconcile our miserable marriage. When we went torepparttar 111680 pastors and counselors, I again wasrepparttar 111681 'bad guy'. By this time I was convinced that he didn't love me. I realized how evil he had really been. My family was devastated byrepparttar 111682 divorce. No one in our family 'divorced'. It wasn't done. My family's shame was almost worse thanrepparttar 111683 bad marriage. But there were secrets that even they didn't know. I tried to explain, but I couldn't bring myself to reliverepparttar 111684 details. If they wouldn't trust me, I was on my own. Couldn't anyone understand? I learned to live with that pain, as well. I had never felt so lonely.

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