A Golden Love

There is an incredible woman in my life. A woman that exhibits strength, and patience. A love of her family and friends and at 94 years of age my Grandmother Dorotha Mae McDaniel Vermillion Rookstool is my inspiration

My grandmother has raised three daughters seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She married a high-school love Abraham Vermillion and had a successful marriage for over 50 years.

When my grandfather passed away of course I worried that she would die too of a broken heart. The statistics are so high for couples that have been married for so many years, that when one passes the other one follows close behind.

Fortunately, that was not the case....

Dortha was raised in Missouri and she was still in contact with her girlfriends from high school. One of her dear friends, Fern invited her to get out of the house in California and come spend the summer with her friends in Missouri.

Of course at 80 years old, Dortha wasn't too excited about the idea of traveling alone. But Fern had something else in mind. You see, when Fern and Dortha and Abe were all in school together they spent a lot of time with Owen and Lovey.

I love the names in this era, anyway back to my tale. Abe and Dortha and Owen and Lovey were always together and double dated all through school. The four of them even rented their first house together after they were each married. They shared a long established friendship

When Fern started to instigate Dortha's plan to visit she assured her that she would not have to worry about getting around.

Dortha decided to take Fern up on her invitation and come to visit. This was the beginning of a whirl wind romance.

Owen had lost Lovey 5 years before and he had been alone tending his farm. When Fern called and told Owen that Dortha was coming to visit a new vitality was sparked in Owen.

Now Dortha and Owen had stayed in touch over the years and saw each other on numerous occasions. So when Dortha heard that Owen was going to meet her at the airport she wasn't completely surprised. But the surprise came when Dortha stepped off the plane and Owen stood before her beaming with giddy boyhood charm and a dozen red roses her heart skipped.

The vision of Owen and Dortha's eyes meeting after all this time flashing back to their youth is so heart warming and romantic that I am overwhelmed with emotion. It makes me believe that true love is out there no matter what your age.

My grandparents had a wonderful loving relationship for over 50 years but the love that Owen and Dortha shared at this Golden Age was really something special. It was the type of love that we long for and read about in the millions of romance novels that fly off the shelves.

I am reminded what love is really about at the end of the day. A love that you want to share you quiet moments with, one that will sit and hold you hand and swing on the porch. That will listen to you when you just want to sit and reminisce

The story goes that Owen romanced Dortha over the next several weeks and proposed to Dortha before her return to California. And she of course said yes. Their wedding party consisted of their grandchildren and great grandchildren. It was a beautiful and wonderful day.

We lost Owen several years ago now, but he and Dortha shared many wonderful years together.

I wanted to share this story because I am touched by the reality that it is never too late to find a special and beautiful love.