SINGLES AWARENESS DAY (S.A.D.)

Another day, February 14th, Valentine’s Day, it will be here in a couple of days. I know of those who have referred to this day as “singles awareness day” and now I can relate to why they do. It is a day to celebrate love. That’s cool, if you have someone who loves you. This is the first time in a long time when I’m on the outside looking in on this particular day. The church I belong to is even hosting a “Celebration of Marriage” dinner this Wednesday. Great timing! Oh well, ours was a marriage worth celebrating.

In the spirit of love and marriage and Valentine’s Day, following is another of the “poems” I wrote a around six months out.

"The worst thing about being a widow/er is the loss of love….When you have a great marriage, it becomes something that goes far beyond friendship. It's having someone who knows you." Tamsen

VOWS (6 MONTHS)
August 5, 1977
The happiest day of my life
I was 20 and
In love

I was doing the most
Correct thing
I would ever do in my life
I was marrying
Carol Ann Haagsma

On a hot August night
We were married
By her uncle
Before God and
Our friends and family

We together
Wrote our vows
And memorized them
And spoke them to each other
Holding hands

“I take you, Fred, before God and everyone here to be my husband until death parts us. I promise to love you and be faithful to you. I promise to share with you all that life brings us, its burdens and sorrows as well as its joys. With God’s help I will be open to you and try never to take your love for granted. I promise to be sensitive to your needs and help you work for the goals you have set for yourself. I will join with you in seeking God’s will for our lives together praying always that He will guide us and strengthen our love.
Fred, I give you this ring as a reminder of the promise and prayers I have just made, and as a symbol of our union in Christ.”

“Carol. I love you and take you, before God and our friends here, to be my wife till death parts us. I promise to love you and to share my entire life with you. Our life will include many joys and I will rejoice in them with you. It will also include sorrows and I promise to comfort you. I promise to be faithful to you always. I promise to be gentle and considerate and open to you always and I ask your help in this. I pray for the Lord’s help keeping me sensitive to your needs and for never taking your love for granted. Carol, I look forward to our laboring together in God’s kingdom.
Carol, I give you this ring as a reminder of the promises and prayers I have made and as a symbol of our union in Christ.”

Thank you
My dearest sweetheart
You kept your vows
With God’s help
Till death parted us