Life Moves On

A Continuation of David's Bio

When I left my story, it was November of 2001 and the feeling that it was time to get back into the world was a good feeling. My experience of getting back into the world turned out to be not so pleasant. What I discovered was that the relationship that Ann and I had had was not normal. Not all people were honest, and regardless of what religion they professed to have, they could and would treat you with only regard to themselves. Needless to say - it was not a good time. But the really neat thing about time is that it never stands still - it always moves forward.

After moving back to Graham in 1979, Ann & I returned to attending Fellowship Baptist Church with her parents. During our stay there, I became the director of the Young Adult Choir (YAC). These were a fine group of young adults from high school through their late 20's. We sang contemporary music, memorize whole cantata's, took week end trips to my parent's house on Lake Gaston, and over all had a really great time. Early one winter we were asked by Ann's parents if the YAC would go to Summersville, West Virginia to knock on doors and invite people to a new Baptist church that was being founded. In addition, we were requested to sing our Christmas cantata that Sunday. The choir agreed. Members of the new church took individuals from the choir home to spend Friday and Saturday nights. Ann and I ended up with a couple, who provided Ann with a birthday cake (being it was her birthday). We hit it off with the couple, with Ann and Mary becoming great friends. Their friendship grew stronger through the years, even with the distance between them. Eventually Mary divorced her husband and decided to change jobs. She really wanted to come to North Carolina - even came to stay with us a couple of times while job hunting - but nothing ever panned out. Eventually, Mary moved to Dallas Texas with a job. I should say that Mary and I were friends as well. We stayed in contact with Christmas cards after Ann's death - until she came to visit for a weekend in January 2003. The friendship became stronger, with me returning the visit in March and Mary's return in April. I headed out to Texas in May to visit & help Mary job hunt in North Carolina. In October 2003, we decided to moved a small town in North Carolina. I am afraid the culture shock was almost too much. Mary went from a city of 4 million people to a rural road of 40 people. Oh - but then there were the 10,000 head of hogs less than 1/2 mile away. Do you have any idea what 10,000 head of hog smell like when the wind blows your way! We lived inside that year. The next spring we purchased a house in a nearby city where Mary was working. By the way, I - once again - am teaching physics and chemistry at the high school level, and am quite enjoying it.

Life has indeed settled back down to being wonderful. We are enjoying sailing trips on Annabelle, working on projects around the house, spoiling the 1st grand child Sydney, and looking forward to spoiling the second second grandchild from Mary's oldest child, which happened on April 13, 2006 - Payton Scott. We both understand the importance of time together, and time apart for individual interest. One of Mary's greatest gifts to me has been to help me finish the grieving process for Ann. As one of Ann's good friends, she was not threaten by her, or the fact I had not finished grieving, but rather was a major support in helping me to understand grieving. True love is a wonderful thing. As Paul wrote - Love is not boastful or proud or jealous . . . Mary is living proof of this, and for that I love her all the more.

I don't expect to add more to this story - until there are more grand children to write about. Mary and my lives are about as perfect as you could hope for. As she says - we are on the 40 year plan. You couldn't ask for much more.

David, October 10, 2005
Updated April 15, 2006

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