My little world is cold, breezy, dark and rainy. Not the way I would have asked for the birthday of my dear Rocky. I miss so much of the way it was…..filled with the fascination of each other…..the feeling of living our youth all over again. Life filled with wonderment at our connection after all those years apart. Our soul mates.

As we prepared to leave Eureka Springs where we were married and spent our first few days Rocky became quiet…….he said he didn’t want to go back to the world we left. The days in Eureka Springs were in April and each day was a surprise because it was not planned. We just wanted the days to go on forever, walking the winding sidewalks and stopping when something caught our interest.

The second day Rocky had arranged for us to go to the Passion Play. It was a wonderful balmy moonlight evening and the live production was gripping. Though the crowd was large and we sat on bleachers above the set the acoustics were excellent. There were a lot of children in the audience but it remained quiet during the whole presentation.

That was “so Rocky.” He always wanted to give me anything he thought I would enjoy. He knew I would enjoy the play because of my commitment to Christ. It was a wonderful evening under the moon and stars.

Our life was always that way. We wanted to give each other the best that we had. It would be the last love for either of us. We just didn’t know it would end so soon. Rocky would have been 78 today……a very young 78. He never grew up and never intended to. None of us wanted him to. He was playful, funny and strong. Nothing could shake his inner strength and he was always the first one to help someone in trouble.

Rocky left this world on April 24th, 2007. He fought cancer with every fiber he had. He wanted to live but when he found it was inevitable he faced death with the same strength he exhibited throughout his life. He left many friends and family members to grieve his loss.

The picture is the way I like to remember him. I have missed him every moment since he left us….and I will until we meet again.

Essentially Esther