Love Over Gold: A Love Story

With the fall foliage colors peaking in many areas of central Pennsylvania, my husband and I have been trying to get out into the woods, among the gorgeous trees, every chance we get. We've had two backpacks and are planning a third. 

But on this day, we just did a day hike. Not far, really, into the woods at the former Dry Hollow property's 1,271 acres that became part of Rothrock State Forest a year or two ago.

On our hike out into the woods, I was looking around thinking, Okay, no biggie. There were some yellows and even the occasional orange or red here and there, but it just didn't strike me as amazing. We sat on a hill and read our books and listened to music, and we didn't walk back out until after 4 p.m.

Well, guess what happened at that golden hour. The sun hit the foliage, and suddenly, our walk back was a stroll down glory road! Every leaf was lit, and the sunlight was maximizing whatever color every single tree was wearing.

There is a big puddle in the middle of the trail that is ALWAYS there, and we grumped about it on the way in, as we picked our way through the mud around it. But I had some faint hopes that I could use that puddle as a mirror somehow, to get a little more shine out of the foliage show. On the way up, though, there was nothing to see. Just a murky puddle with some leaves on it.

But on the walk out, with the forest practically on fire around me, and my husband a ways ahead of me on the trail, I got my chance! I used the puddle and the foliage to frame my husband in a shining world of gold. Oh my! What a fabulous moment! You may see my best shot above.

Now, let me take a minute to recognize the guy in this photo. This is my husband Steve. He goes by The Walking Dude on the trail registers. He's hiked and backpacked and hitchhiked all across the U.S.A., visiting all of the continental states except for two. He was born in Johnstown, but got his psych degrees at the University of Florida and West Virginia University.

A lot of that happened before he met me in a laundromat in State College in August of 1986. We've been together for 37 years, married for 15 of those, having recently celebrated our wedding anniversary on October 17, which is also my mom's birthday. You may see a photo of the two of us here.

You've heard the story: He was dying, and we got married in a heck of a rush at the justice of the peace in Tyrone (it took all of about 13 minutes and he cried through the whole thing), so that I could give him my health insurance and get him into a hospital to try to save his life. He was in THREE hospitals the week of our marriage; at Hershey, he started to get better, but I like to think it was true love that saved his life.  ;-)

On our wedding day, between our trips to the justice of the peace and the hospital, I called my mom to tell her our big news and wish her happy birthday. She said, "I think I'm gonna have to sit down." To cut to the chase, he lived, and now we get to live out our happily ever after.

You've read on these pages about the recent passing of both of my parents, Lee and Norma, within a seven-hour time span. No, I still can't believe it. These past few months have been something out of a strange dream; I could almost think that none of it really happened. But it did. It is a staggering loss. As you might imagine, we've had some very sad days, but we are trying to focus on the good, to choose gratitude whenever possible.

My husband has been my biggest lover and supporter during this time, and always. I don't know what I would do without him. When the darkness creeps in around the edges of everything, he is the one who comforts me. We walk in the woods a lot. That's a place where we both find peace and healing.

The other evening, a song came on the radio, and suddenly, we were slow dancing in the living room, cheek to cheek. I know it's my custom to include a soundtrack song, and I bet you were expecting some Dire Straits, weren't you? :-) Anyway, my soundtrack song is this one, which we slow danced to: Brooks & Dunn, with My Heart Is Lost To You. Happy anniversary, best beloved. I love you to the moon and back. I will love you forever.

Maybe it was the music
The way it moved with your hair
Or the heat of the moment
That hung in the air
But when I saw you there dancing
Mesmerized by your gaze
There was some kind of magic
Led me away
Mi corazon Perdido En Ti
My heart is lost to you