As Love Grows

Unlike any other evening during a mid-week respite,
Early spring, actually April 22, Wednesday Evening,
Little bit later than we'd normally eat evening supper,
We arrived at Grace Lutheran Church, North Charlotte. 
Seven o'clock the ceremony began and's over quickly;
Back to the Chestnut Street homestead for finger food. 

Suit cases in the white Pontiac ready for New Hope, to
A motel on the hill, Connie's hair needs some attention.
Off to get a bite to eat before bedding down, morning's
Ready for day one, up river toward New York City's
World Fair. Short stop in Milford at Frederick Duckloe  
Furniture : two short backed benches, one tall chair.

Big Apple's in our sight, Taft Hotel is our destination.
Piano Bar for an evening nightcap suites us just fine.
For a full day at the fair, we follow the pressing crowd 
Toward the subway, climb on board, today accepts us.
Overwhelming, to just walk and look at all the pavilions,
What's most impressive ? That which lasts yet today.

Flushing Meadows, of tennis fame, retains the round 
Steel globe of our planet as a center focus yet today.
Memory brings 1964 back into my mind each US Open
Tournament when television cameras pan the grounds. 
As all trips, they're over before realizing it's happened,
Eventfully short was our honeymoon at a World's Fair.

Now, over a half century later, a wishful life continues
In spite of those trials and tribulations common to most.
Business wasn't really just growing and planting trees;
Rather, it's assuming debt without being subdued by it.
Connie, you handled the home front : house - children;
I wandered about : partnerships/ventures, but survived.

Together, down the path we'll continue to its endpoint, 
You assuming many jobs I once held, you're in charge.
Once our provider, I feel I've done what I could, I tried. 
Eventually our union will become dissolved, me gone,
But we'll live on through our children and grandchildren.
Marriage, honeymoon and family  products of our love.

With All My Love,
To My Wife,
Ron

* * *
The Downie's name lineage, Connie's and my children and grandchildren :

Evan, at MCCC, is just 21 this month; Casey, our oldest, at 25, are the children of Ronald, Connie's and my son, who is the youngest of our three children : Heather, Lia, and Ronald. 

Lily's pressing 15 years of age is at Daniel Boone High School, her brothers, Ian, 19, is at Rochester, New York, Institute of Technology and, Connor, 22, is at Catholic University, Washington DC. are our daughter Heather and James Kurtz's offsprings.

 Daughter, Heather graduated Penn State University and received a Masters Degree from Alvernia University a few years ago. Lia, a critical care nurse at Sarasota Florida Memorial Hospital, continues her pursuit of the preferred degree in her field. All grand -children will, are, or have attended college with Casey, our oldest granddaughter leading the way, she graduated Franklin & Marshall College a couple years ago. Today she works in the field of education.

Connie and I pride ourselves in realizing that the gaining of organized knowledge is one of the highest callings a person can receive. May learning never end, it is a life time adventure.

"Go forth and spread beauty and light."