Love (noun): Profound, tender, passionate affection for another person.
You read about it in books, see it in movies, and hear it mentioned in songs.
Many people want to be in love, they just do not know how to stay in love.
In today's world, divorce is the instant go-to option for struggling couples.
When things get tough, people figure that obviously their relationship is doomed.
I am so happy that I chose a major that I feel very passionate about. I find it comforting
to know that when you build a marriage around Christ and both you and your spouse
work daily to stay in love and strengthen each other, you can have the greatest joy imaginable.
This fact has really become apparent to me as my mom and I have worked on a project for my grandmother,
or as we refer to her, Mema.
Mema is not my biological grandmother. She is my grandma as a result of my adoption...but as we know, adoption does not make your family any less real...at least I hope you
know that haha...anywho, back to the story! My mema married her husband Hugh when she
was nineteen-years-old. He was a Pilot in the Air Force and for much of their early marriage, he
was gone. He was not home when my mother was born, in fact, he did not even meet her until she
was a few months old. He fought in World War II and was a recipient of a Purple Heart for valor.
Mema spent countless days and nights worrying about her husband. Worrying that he would not
return home to her. Through it all, they remained connected and happy. My grandfather died
of Cancer when I was seven-years-old. It has now been about thirteen years since he passed
away, but the love still lives on. Mema often mentions him in such stunning detail, it is like he has
never left her side.
She talks about their courtship and how they met at a military ball. Mema's memory has declined
as she has gotten older. Her clarity is the worst now that it has ever been. The memories that
she NEVER has trouble remembering all center around my grandfather. She'll say "oh, my husband
used to love that"....or "I miss him so much". My mom and I decided to look through my
grandmother's old pictures to find ones of my grandparents. I scanned the pictures and edited them
a little to allow them to be a little clearer. The pictures were enlarged and framed. They now hang on
the wall behind her bed. He face lit up right away when she saw the pictures. Hearing her talk about
grandpa and seeing the love that still lights up her eyes, makes me so excited to find my own forever love.
In the end, all the money or prestige that we attain in this world will never be what we remember.
Instead, we will look back with joy on all the people that we loved. I hope that someday, I will look
back and remember the day that I entered the temple with the love of my life, to be one of my greatest memories.
This picture was taken right after they got married :)
Look how in love they are!
This is my grandpa with my Uncle Charles
From the left: My uncle Charles, my mom (I guess she was a grumpy baby :P), and my Uncle Terry (he was killed in the Vietnam War when he was 20)
A picture taken while my grandfather was serving in World War II. Mema is looking at a picture of my grandfather.
Wasn't my grandfather so handsome?!
What are the great love stories from your family?
2 comments:
ASHLEY!! You have the most heart-warming posts ever! I loved seeing the old pictures of your grandparents when they were young and in love. My favorite picture is the third one down where they are looking at eachother. :)
My favorite love story from my family is of my Nash grandparents. My grandpa, Karl, came from Utah to be a gunnery instructor at the air force base in Las Vegas during world war II. Back in the 40's Las Vegas was just a small western town, just some hotels and a few neighborhoods and stores surrounded by desert. My grandma, Rita, had just gotten a degree in journalism, and she came down to Las Vegas to work for the one radio station in town. They met (can't remember how, I think a church function) and started dating. Rita had her own radio show that would air during the middle of the day, right when Karl had a break before lunch. He would sit in his barracks and listen to her broadcast. After they dated a while he was stationed somewhere else and so he proposed... and she rejected him. I think about a year or two later they both ended up in Salt Lake for their jobs and met up again and began dating again, and this time when Karl proposed Rita said YES!! I love this story because although all my other Nash family lives in Utah it is cool to remember that my grandparents fell in love right here in Vegas. :) Sorry longest comment ever!!
Thank you Amy! I know, they were so cute. I hope to someday have pictures like this :) Your grandparents story is soooo cute! I love that even when she said no to his proposal the first time, they sill ended up in the same place! It is like she couldn't escape him :) Also, kuddos to your grandpa for his perseverance....it all worked out in the end :)
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