I hope you like a good playlist. 40 years ago today in a meadow in the Rocky Mountains near Manitou Springs, CO. people gathered and to hear Ken play and sing the following songs:
Someday Soon by Judy Collins
Devoted by The Everly Brothers
Coat from the cold by Jerry Jeff Walker
There wasn’t a dry eye in the field. Well, except Ken’s mom who said what kind of song is that Jerry Jeff Walker one? Singing about booze and floozies! And my mom who was wearing high heels said, well it isn’t too bad for a hippy wedding.
I am absolutely gobsmacked that 40 years have flown by so easily. We have travelled a fun road. I can honestly say our bumps have been few, and laughter has been our guiding light.
We agreed early to “be nice” and to be on each other’s side, always. I realized he doesn’t have to love me. We do not have unconditional love. We are responsible for our own actions and need to make ourselves easy to love.
I am grateful and I am fortunate.
We both had first marriages and learned what not to do and how not to do it. They say, a better woman would have got a better man… but you and I both know – I did as good as I could! Whew!
I had no idea that first night he visited Albuquerque and he took me and Karen out to dinner and Karen leaned over to me and said, be nice to him, he is paying, that we would be living together in Colorado in less than a month’s time.
I went to visit him a week later for his birthday and we had a great time. We also threw every piece of history and garbage we had in our past at each other! Spilled everything and for every whack of shit – we would wipe our face and say, “I can live with that.” (BTW I did not quit drinking for another two years from that weekend!)
So I went back to NM and packed up my stuff and dog and my friend Jerry drove me to Colorado and we moved in. Of course Jerry stayed a week to make sure I was “safe”. Ken’s friends were aghast and said, Ken is too wise to make a lifetime commitment based on a weekend experience.
Ken said, It was a good weekend!
We’ve had a good life together and while I never took to the leash – I’ve been happily tethered to Ken Parker ever since!
On we go!
Toot toot us!
Fantastic story and fantastic lives. You are our role models in this as in many things. Be Nice is indeed a good rule. Sorry we stink at the sending cards thing – you two have been in our thoughts and on our tongues though.
Much love and here’s to many many more years of laughter for you two!
heather & Jim