The uncrowded path
As children, we both “dreamed big”… universities, careers, seeing the world and outdoor adventures. We would choose the less traveled, long path.
A tragedy brought my future husband and me together. My tragedy. I was devastated, a 25-year-old student at Arizona State and no snow at Purgatory, north of Durango, Colorado. A real bummer! I had planned to ski there with fellow ASU ski club members, Thanksgiving 1974. The trip was canceled just days before the holiday. I phoned my BFF for sympathy and instead she invited me to join a group Thanksgiving house party in Pinetop, three hours north of ASU in the White Mountains. A large house was rented for three nights. It would be a blast! But a “controlled blast”… no pot and separate gender bedrooms. Entertainment included two TVs, plenty of Gallo wine, and enough beer to fill a barrel.
Settling in, the six girls immediately organized the kitchen while the guys cracked open beers and warmed up the TVs for football. It was to be a “made from scratch” Thanksgiving feast. Chatting and chopping, the girls worked quickly. Suddenly, a tall figure appeared in the doorway, “What should I do first?” he shyly inquired. It was not a ghost; it was a miracle! His name was Jon. For the next two hours, he peeled, diced, grated AND washed dishes, all the while conversing and joking. When quizzed about his suspicious behavior, he replied, “My mother taught me to do this from the time I was little.” A scary, strange but intriguing thought jumped in my head, “potential boyfriend material!”
Since then, Jon and I shared shimmering night skies from the Southern Cross to the Northern Lights and moons rising and setting over eight seas. Through faith we’ve weathered real tragedy and danger. We’ve chased our curiosity, experiencing thrilling adventures, discoveries and fascinating people and places, to fill a book! All the while on the less traveled path.
After 45 years and hundreds of thousands of miles we have learned long love’s secret cannot be written or captured. It’s as elusive as smoke. It hides in the eyes of the one you love, shines in warm sunlight, and whispers in shared winds, from the oceans to the woods to the highest peaks. It reminds old travelers what is dearest can never be lost!