Passing

Twenty-five years ago yesterday, I said "I do" at the First Baptist Church of Spindale, North Carolina. Coincidentally, my wife did the same thing at the same place and same time.

A lot has happened since then.

My wife's mom, dad, grandmother, uncle and great uncle all passed away. My mother survived breast cancer, and my father survived prostate cancer. I had a spot with melanocytic cells removed from my back, though the doctor never came out and said I had melanoma. My wife had a brain tumor which was successfully removed. She had a uterus that was successfully removed as well. Long prior to her hysterectomy, I impregnated her four times. Two of those were miscarried. The other two are my sons.

I have held nine jobs that I can remember. My wife has held two jobs since her discharge from the Army. We attended four different churches as regulars. I can't even begin to count the number of cars we owned over that time. A quick count tells me it was at least fifteen.

We had a house built. Since then, floors have been torn up and replaced. The roof has been replaced. A lot of planting has taken place. A new room has been built. There's different furniture and fixtures, not to mention wall-covering.

Together, we have been to or through Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. But never Vermont, though I'd been there long before we were married. Guess it's too far out of the way.

We have purchased land in four other states besides where we live. And I still keep an eye out for other locations.

I have written ten books, a few songs. I displayed paintings in art shows for six years, won some awards in doing so. Made a few dollars. My wife must have made biscuits or corn bread about a million times. Her real craft, though, is playing piano. To that end, we bought a Yamaha full-size electronic keyboard for her to play. We have played and sang together in church many times with her on piano and me strumming guitar.

We attended numerous Little League, Junior League, Babe Ruth, Junior Legion baseball games. We also attended numerous Portland Sea Dogs games. They are the AA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. We've been to one Red Sox game at Fenway Park and one Atlanta Braves game at Turner Field. There have been too many restaurants to remember and count.

We've seen many friends die. I know we've been to more funerals than weddings.

We've seen friends come and go. Some have returned via Facebook, and that is nice, though it's not quite the same as having them around. My oldest son has graduated high school, gotten his first job and completed his first semester in college. My youngest son has become a pretty proficient guitar player.

There have been five presidents, five governors of Maine and two wars in the Middle East.

Much has happened in the last twenty-five years.

The time has been full.