My Valentine, My Wife, Darlene

I awoke this morning, rolled out of my bed, got dressed and decided to skip breakfast. Three of my colleagues and I went out last night and had supper at an all-you-can-eat, cook-to-order steak and seafood buffet at the Crown Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island last night, and I was honestly still quite full this morning.

So, off to work I went here in Abu Dhabi at one of the United Arab Emirates’ major air bases. It was well into the work day before I realized what day today was. It was then that I was embarrassed, and perhaps a little ashamed, that I had forgotten Valentine’s Day.

I met Darlene, the beautiful, young woman who would eventually become my wife in March 1978. It wasn’t love at first sight, but it took me less than three months to propose. Thirty-eight months later we were married. In the nearly 35 years (seriously – THIRTY-FIVE YEARS) since we have been together we have been through better and worse, richer and poorer, togetherness and separation, children and the empty nest, and hard work and unemployment, and through it all, I know that there is no other woman who I would ever want to do it all with, and likely no other woman who would have put up with me.

And if I had to do it all again, I would do it all with Darlene. And that’s why I know that I should NEVER forget Valentine’s Day. I can’t ever imagine sharing our family, our home, our life, our children, our bed, with anyone else.

So, while this year I didn’t send flowers, or candy because I simply forgot, and certainly wasn’t able to take her out to a romantic dinner or getaway, I can’t deny that she is my valentine and has been for nearly two-thirds of my life now. She has given me a wonderful daughter and son, and she somehow still loves me.

Darlene, I love you and I miss you every day that I can’t be with you. I cherish waking up next to you and I know that my last thought on this planet will be of you.

Happy Valentine’s Day.