NO DEEPER LOVE EXISTS BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE
WE MET ON AUGUST 12, 1978 AND GOT MARRIED TWELVE DAYS LATER.
I PROPOSED TO HER ON OUR 3RD DATE, WHICH WAS 3 DAYS AFTER SHE CALLED ME ON THE PHONE. SHE WAS ANSWERING MY CLASSIFIED AD IN THE PERSONAL COLUMN OF THE PROGRESS BULLETIN NEWSPAPER, IN POMONA, CALIFORNIA.
WHEN I PROPOSED TO HER, SHE ASKED ME WHY I KNEW I WANTED TO MARRY HER, AFTER KNOWING HER FOR ONLY 3 DAYS.
I TOLD HER THAT I HAD BEEN IN THE AIR FORCE FOR 8 YEARS, AND HAD MET HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. SHE, BY FAR, WAS THE MOST INTELLIGENT, THE MOST EDUCATED, THE MOST SENSITIVE, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, AND THE MOST MORAL PERSON I HAD EVER MET.
SHE SAID SHE WAS GLAD I DID NOT DRINK ALCOHOL AT ALL, AND NEVER HAD. SHE WAS VERY GLAD I HATED SPORTS BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO VIOLENT. AND SHE WAS VERY HAPPY I HAD A DEEP RESPECT FOR ALL ANIMALS. BUT SHE ONLY HAD ONE QUESTION FOR ME.
DID I BELIEVE THAT THE MAN SHOULD BE THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY. I TOLD HER I DID NOT LIKE TRADITIONAL ROLES IN A MARRIAGE. I WAS A FEMINIST ALL THE WAY.
SHE THEN TOLD ME THAT SHE DEFINITELY WANTED TO MARRY ME.
NOT ONE PERSON IN MY FAMILY CAME TO THE WEDDING, BECAUSE MY WIFE'S TWO BEST FRIENDS, WHO WERE A GAY COUPLE, WERE OUR WITNESSES. MY FAMILY WAS VERY HOMOPHOBIC.
WE HAVE, AFTER 30 YEARS, A VERY SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY ATHEIST MARRIAGE.
