Skip to main content

Love in the time of pandemic

When I first met this man, in 1982 at PT O'Malley's in East Lansing after a miserable loss to Ohio State, I had no idea it was THE pivotal moment of my life and the start of a lifetime journey. If I had known, I would probably have dressed better and had someone take a picture of us dancing in front of the jukebox (before I chose to dip without telling him and we both landed on the floor!).

 I started to get the idea, however, that he was my life-partner later that night when he asked if he could drive me home and I said yes. Prior to my agreement, I probably should have ascertained where he parked - because we had to walk from the pub on Grand River Avenue to the back-forty, commuter lot on the other side of campus. For those unfamiliar with MSU's campus in the '80s, it was about a gazillion miles!! We never made it, because we were going slow talking, laughing and kissing that once we got about half-way we stopped in to a dorm to call a taxi (this was back before cell phones and Uber, when you had to have a dime to use a pay phone!).

 And it was along that walk and subsequent ride, that I had an inkling I could spend the rest of my life talking and laughing and kissing with John Piggins. We clicked and married in 1988, 32 years ago today!

 After 32 years of marriage, I can honestly say that it's sweet to get to this point in our marriage too because the love is deeper and the relationship easier and more solid than I could have ever imagined on that fateful fall day. To have such a wonderful,substantial, constant love and support is a blessing - especially amidst this pandemic. It's a comfort too, for me as a woman full of self-doubt, to have John my self-declared 'biggest fan' by my side. Our greatest 'achievement' as a couple is not as some might think I'd claim the three not-so-little Piggins, it's that we have made it to 32 years of marriage and we are still in love with one another. Who could have guessed when they saw us puddled on the floor, laughing at our folly, in front of the jukebox at PT O'Malley's? (Damn, I'm grateful there weren't cell phones to record THAT!!)

 Together we have battled throat cancer, breast cancer, heart issues, prostate cancer and multiple sclerosis. We have grieved over the loss of loved ones together. We have successfully so far raised three children to be wonderful young adults. We have lived in three different homes and different cities. We have had a few job changes and been unemployed. We have traveled to London and Ireland (pics above) and oodles of places closer to home. We have had one son get married to a wonderful life partner (and we pray they have as many years together!). We have a son live abroad in Uganda and London (talk about gratitude for cell phones and Facetime). And we have a daughter living her passion for theater and making her living in it as well. And we have a deep faith in God and we know that we can lean on and trust God's guidance in our lives.
We have this life together. Life together.

 Happy 32 years, John. I love you deeply, passionately and strongly. You are my life partner, best friend and right now, a pretty damn good coworker as we quarantine together.
Labels:

Comments

  1. UnknownApril 14, 2020 at 6:58 AM

    What a wonderful story....and yes, that is a long walk across campus.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

It's not a popularity contest, but ...

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling

I put my pride aside and got my ass off the grass and into the wheelchair. {I spent a couple minutes deciding whether to put an exclamation mark after that declaration or to put the period after that statement. I think the period better suits my mood about getting said ass into the wheelchair!} On July 4, Saugatuck has a wonderfully unique parade that includes quirky participants like the artsy-fartsy campers at OxBow art colony and the LGBT members of a local foundation along with the more traditional participants like Girl Scouts, fire trucks, and local politicians. It had been a couple years since I had been to the parade, this year, though, my Mom and sister were in town and I wanted to take them. So we loaded up in the van, including Kerri's wheelchair and my own. Once we parked, John asked if I wanted to use my chair and I initially balked but then remembered that it can be a long, hot parade and it might be better to have a place to sit. So, I acquiesced and took the cha...
2 comments
Read more

The day of the dead - or our recent sightseeing in DC

We spent three days in DC - but only one of those was sightseeing. The first we picked up Delaney at her journalism conference, taking her back to the hotel and letting her nap for a couple hours and then going to dinner at Red Lobster. She took the picture above and was mortified that her parents could be so embarrassing. In other words, we were doing our job as parents - embarrassing our child. that is after all in the parenting contract - "Thou shalt embarrass your offspring on all possible occasions." Our second day, included a tour of American University for Delaney. She loved it - more on that East Coast college tour in a later blog. The third day - we decided to spend our time visiting the Holocaust Museum and Arlington National Cemetery. Hence the title, 'the day of the dead'. We arrived at the museum shortly after they opened and got our scheduled time to visit the main exhibit. I put pride aside and used the wheelchair because I knew that it ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Down 24

My life has been a lot like this roller coaster. Not just ups and downs, but several twists and turns. Sometimes I am whooping for joy, hands in the air ready for the what lies ahead while at other times I can see a loop or drop coming and the dread is palatable, the nausea is real. And also like a roller coaster is my weight. I've never been svelte but I have been within the BMI range. I have also been overweight and more recently the scale put me in the obese category. And that should have scared me into action but instead I just made excuses or rationalizations like "It's because I use a wheelchair to get around," or "I'm sure once X happens I'll lose that weight," or (my favorite) "It's just water weight/constipation". (Like all I needed was one really good poop and I'd be at my target weight! No plunger in the world could have worked! Like comedian Ron White says 'Just one really good dump from a new pant si...
Post a Comment
Read more