An Apology…..Sort of

A few months ago, we got a call from the teenage daughter of a friend ours. As long as we have known her, she has wanted to go to the University of Texas (I don’t know why, but that’s not the point.) This week she announced that she will be going elsewhere because that’s where her boyfriend is going and she loved him and doesn’t want to be separated from him for even a moment. Remember being 18?

Her parents are truly wise people. Instead of arguing with her, they handed her the telephone and asked her to call all the married people she knew and ask them where their love from when they were 18 happened to be today. Her folks know that most people don’t marry their high school sweethearts no matter how romantic it sounds.

By the time she called us, she was sounding decidedly depressed. She had called 15 couples and none of them had settled down with their first love. She was on the verge of tears when in a shaky voice she told me of her college choice an then sobbed out “Where is your love from when you were 18?”

“I’m not really sure,” I told her. “Do you need to know right now?”

“I guess not really,” she sighed.

“Hang on a sec,” I told her, then hollered “Hey, Computer Guy, where are you?”

“In the laundry room!” came the reply.(Is it any wonder I love him?)

“He’s in the laundry room.” I told her.

“Seriously? You married him? And it worked out and you’re happy and everything?” she asked sounding suddenly rejuvenated.

“Yup. It wasn’t always easy but I’ve never regretted a moment of it.”

“Thanks!” she said. I swear I could hear the smile in her voice.

To her parents, I’m sorry that I couldn’t give her the answer you wanted me to give her. Next time, give me the script first. To their sweet girl, if you love him so much then marry that boy. It will be a long hard road, but you can walk it together and that’s what counts.