You walk in the door from work, even now, 49 years later, and my heart melts. And I remember your long frame, crewcut hair, eyes bluer than the gulfstream, and that first kiss.
How do you stay in love for this long? When wrinkles deepen and bodies shift and much of what you thought beautiful then has faded?
I was a girl in such need of approval. Someone who thought me beautiful and smart. You were a lost young man struggling with demons I couldn’t have understood then even if you’d tried to explain.
This morning as I wipe out the sink—all the little bits of hair that fell from your razor when you cleaned it—I wonder if you understand how you became the world to me. That when we parked in front of my house and Misty came on the radio and you sang to me, you captured my heart like no other.
When Tommy Sloan started calling you the “marshal” I was puzzled. “How’s the marshal?” he’d say. I kind of knew what he meant, but finally after a year, I asked him.
“Oh…Bob’s just got that presence about him. When he walks into a room, things seem to come to order. He makes us feel safe, as though everything’s taken care of now.”
In all these years, even with our hearts breaking, you’ve been my safe haven. I know you’ll take care of me, be my protector and shield. Your love has been a down comforter buffering me from hostile winds. I can lay against you and weep or laugh.
How could we have known, those Miami summers when we walked carefree to the lighthouse and back, sunburned and happy, that the day would come when the earth would seem to shift and all we found stable would crumble to bits?
Sometimes endurance and perseverance are the only answers. It’s why we weep at weddings when the young bride looks up so trustingly into the eyes of her beloved and we know they don’t understand anything about the path that’s about to begin. But we do. We’ve walked it.
We started out in Christ and we will finish in Him. He is the glue that has held us together, the third part of the cord not easily broken, the bottom of our triangle that makes us strong.
As we begin our 50th year – our year of Jubilee – I just want to say how much I love you, Bob Poulsen. Like the day at Tully’s when I was 17 and mad at you because of something the night before, and you stopped me in the living room with my breakfast plate, heading for the porch. You said, “I’m going to kiss you right here – in front of God and everybody!” And you did.
I love that we still hold hands and dance in the living room once in awhile when a favorite song comes on. Our love is different now – stronger, tested, elastic. Whatever comes next, in Him, we’ll face it together.
And yes, I’ll watch Bodyguard with you for the 35th time.
… awww, Kathee, WHAT a precious legacy! the joys of having a ‘marshall’ in your life IS a treasure! I am so happy for you. Both of you!!!
I love this. I love you two. Tears are choking me and flowing right now and that is a good thing. It is good to feel the joy and the pain together and to know where you are coming from. Because I know your hearts and have felt your pain and have shared countless hours together, silly hours, somber hours, hours filled with light and joy and learning, this speaks to me. This is so beautifully written Cathee. When it tears my heart out, you know it’s good!
Happy Anniversary my beautiful ones, ” dance till the stars come down from the rafters, dance, dance, dance till you drop.”
As Philippians 4:8 says “Brothers and Sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.” Your marriage and your tribute to Bob for these 50 wonderful years is just what God had in mind when He created marriage. A true inspiration to us all.
Wow Cathee, once again you have made me cry and smile all in the same paragraph! So beautifully written and like Fran, I have felt your pain and shared your joy over the 25 years we have know one another. Happy Half Century Anniversary. I pray that Mitch and I get to spend more than half of that amount of time together. We’d both be more than a hundred if we made it to our 50th anniversary ;o)
Love, blessings and CONGRATULATIONS to you and Bob,
Faye
Yes, you’ve been there for half of those 25 years, Faye. And you’ve both seen the joy and heartache. It’s what life is made of, isn’t it? But Jesus makes all the difference. Thanks so much for your beautiful comment. Love you big.
Dearest Cathee,
I am sitting at my desk trying to hold back the tears reading your tribute to Bob. We have been friends for 40 years and I have admired and loved you both since that first day at the camp in NC. I was young and naive and you treated me with all the kindess and love sisters can share. Yes, we’ve been through a lot, but it is because of you giving me an earthly example to never give up that I am still standing. I cherished every moment of times with you then and now. You both are dearly loved by my family and I will be forever grateful!!
Dear Cathee,
I had my husband Jim read this blog this evening. I mentioned that you spoke of Tully’s and I thought he would enjoy it. We celebrated 5 years of marriage last month, and we have been through quite a bit together in our short married life. Merging two families to become one with the love and support of our parents, aunts and uncles. The loss of Jim’s mother Jeannie, Jim’s father’s illness, my mother’s death, and now my father’s insurmountable grief has put an incredible amount of strees on us. I wanted to share with him that others have been through tough times and made it 50 years. We have a saying, “90 on the beach.” With God’s grace and a lot of work, we intend to be on the beach on our 45th anniversary.
Sharon
Thank you for sharing your wonderful comment. Your heart is where it should be and I have no doubt you’ll make it to that beach scene. Give my love to Jimmy. Stop and see us when you’re in Lake Placid next.
Cathee
What a wonderful tribute to your life-love. 49 years! I cannot imagine being glued together that long EXCEPT with Christ Jesus as the glue. I think sometimes it takes very strong glue . . . Our Lord . . . To hang on In the storms. You affirm marriage that continues to seek the Super glue of God in Christ. Have a grand 50th year! We are enjoying half as many years.