I visited my husband’s grave site today to wish him a “happy anniversary”…I bought a dozen roses…and I picked out one of the loveliest orange roses to lay on his grave…the rest of the bouquet belonged to me.
I said “happy anniversary” to him…and I told him that his Giants were going to the Superbowl this year not only in honor of our 24th anniversary year…but also in honor of him.
I knew today would be a difficult day without my husband around to celebrate with me…no fabulous Italian dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant…no anniversary cards to exchange (he always got me the sappy anniversary cards…the ones that said how much he loved me)…no anniversary trip to plan (we were always planning to go to the Ritz Carlton in California for our big 25th anniversary next year…the hotel on the cliff outside San Francisco…and we were going to rent a Mercedes Benz Convertible for our 25th year…so we could ride around California in style).
I received a sympathy card from an old friend today…she asked “where the time had gone”…and “she remembered when I lived in New York…and when I was 25 years young and first met my husband…and how we fell in love…and got married”…”where has the time gone,” she said in her note…”where has the time gone?”
I tried to answer that question…how could it be that 24 years had passed by so quickly…that I was preparing for my empty nest…that I was now a widow…that my husband was not here beside me to celebrate our 24 years together?
I read the note again…and I closed my eyes…I remembered our wedding day…I remembered my wedding dress…I remembered the smiles on our faces… I remembered the happiness that was in the room…I remembered our family and friends who gathered to celebrate with us (many of whom left before the wedding cake arrived since we did get married on Superbowl Sunday!)…and to help us start our life together.
Where has the time gone…the time has passed…and now it is the memories I will savor…I think I need a sad song today…ah yes…time for a little Joan Baez music…what is that song…ah yes…”Where Have All The Flowers Gone?…long time passing”…sing it Joan…sing me a sad song today.
“Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the flowers gone?
Young Girls picked them every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?”
“Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young girls gone?
Gone to young men every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?”
“Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?”
“Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?”
“Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Gone with flowers every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?”
Judi