Making the best of every situation

A Facebook memory speaks volumes

The love of my life for 45 years Michael Lynn Preston Sr. passed away on March 7 2021. The following memory from January 25 2016 popped up on Facebook today and gave me pause.

THE SPIN: Michael and I enjoyed a beautiful romantic moonlit midnight walk in the snow, embraced in each other's arms.

THE REALITY: We left home at 10:30, had to walk 2 blocks up a hill to where our vehicle was parked. When we returned to park the car, it was midnight. And was so icy, we held on to each other so we would not fall walking down the hill. But yes it was fun, in spite of the possible danger.

We had left home to go to the store which normally would have been about 30 minutes but the ice and our location at the bottom of a hill changed things. All the neighbors on our street parked on the side of the street at the top of the hill because we could not get our vehicles back up if we went down until the ice melted. For several days neighbors were trying to dig each other out and it was a mess.

A messy night became a loving memory

On this night we slipped and slid as we walked to the end of our block and up the hill. We literally were holding each other up. We drove slowly and carefully to the store made our purchases and returned to park the car. This time we were sliding downhill and it was really rough as we walked. The moon above and the stars were bright and the sky was clear. There was a strange silence because people and traffic were practically nonexistent due to the weather. I was 57 and Michael was 58 and I had no idea that 5 short years later he would be taken from me.

As we walked we each had both arms around one another and I joked that this gave the illusion of a romantic star-lit evening and looking back I know it really was. Michael and I did not go on cruises, cabin getaways or vacations as other couples but we learned to make the best of what we had. We did not need to go away to have alone time because we could shut our bedroom door and block out children and later grandchildren who were busy in other parts of the house.

We didn't need Victoria's secret, sex toys, or any of the things that are marketed to give you a great experience. All we had to do was close our eyes and immerse ourselves in one another to experience the joy of making love. This way whether we had money to choose to do something with or we were broke it did not matter because we had the power to make each romantic encounter the best it could be just by loving one another.

Money can't buy everything

People whose best times rely on money and exotic locations will not have to appreciate the simple pleasures the way others do. They can fly, boat or train wherever they desire and can revel in all their finances or credit cards have purchased. Michael and I and those like us have had no choice but to learn the value of living in the moment. Holding each other up as we walked up and down that hill may seem trivial and unromantic to some but others will get it.

There really are special moments in this life that money cannot buy. In that same year of 2016 when our wedding anniversary rolled around we did not have money to do one thing. 35 years of marriage and 40 years together but we gave each other the best gifts that year. we sat on the loveseat in the living room and his arm was around me. I lay my head on his chest and laced my arm around his midsection.

Memories last

A couple who had been our good friends and whose wedding we were a part of in 1978 had divorced and both recently passed away. Here we were still married and both of us still alive and I was so thankful. I listened to his heart beating so strongly and told him the gift this year was that we were still alive and together and I could hear the strong beat of his heart. I'm thankful I have the ability to turn lemons into lemonade and make the best of every situation.

If our marriage had needed exotic trips and cruises or Victoria's secret to survive then we would have been as the old folks would say "Sh*t out of luck". Michael and I never were bored with each other and did not have to spice up things in the bedroom. We made each romantic encounter its own adventure whether we were alone or family was in the house. This is why we could turn a cold night with freezing temperatures into a fun adventure.

I now know that I was not putting a spin on the evening because it really was a romantic walk on a snowy moonlit night and I will treasure this remembrance as long as I live.