I Honestly Had No Idea
Forty-Three Years Ago…
I met a woman who would change my life forever. And almost entirely for good. The “almost” being purely subjective, since those are the parts of each other we haven’t finished sculpting yet. I don’t know who I’d be today if I hadn’t met Trudy. But I’m certain I wouldn’t like him as much as I do the man she’s shaping me into.
I honestly had no idea what was to come when I spotted this remarkably pretty girl amidst the 200+ members of a mass church choir. All I knew was that I couldn’t stop sneaking glances at her. And then, when she showed up a few nights later at our church’s performing artist’s fellowship meeting, I thought, “She acts, she sings, she’s beautiful—what’s not to like?”
We Honestly Had No Idea…
When we went out for our first cuppa joe (we both loved coffee) that it was the beginning of a circuitous path that would lead to a lifetime together. Were we “soul mates”? Maybe from God’s perspective. But from our perspective, we were two very different people who would need to do a lot of rubbing and polishing before we “fit.” Maybe we made each other into soul mates (“as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”). But at any rate, fit we did. And fit we do.
Where Will the Path Lead From Here?
I don’t know, I only know that we’ll be on it together. And we wouldn’t have it any other way, even though the day we met…
I honestly had no idea.
What a beautiful love story. 🙂
Thank you, Jeanne.
You are very welcome. 🙂
What a sweet love story you started today! God knows what He is doing and we have to trust him to connect us to the Right One for us, even if it seems wildly improbable. Congrats!
Thank you, Caroll!
Congratulations to both of you on your long lasting life together. Remember to cherish every moment.
We will, and thank you, Kathy.
Bless you both! May you have many more wonderful years together! ❤️
Thank you, my friend. (I’m afraid I don’t know your name.)
I’m Lynn. My mum and dad made it short and sweet, and most people spell it wrong!! 😂
Go figure. Thanks, Lin. ;>)
This is incredibly moving Mitch. What stayed with me most is the honesty that love isn’t something we instantly are, but something we slowly become through shaping, patience, and shared time. The idea that soulmates may be formed through years of “rubbing and polishing” rather than discovered fully formed feels deeply true and reassuring.
Thank you for sharing a love story that feels real, lived-in, and enduring. It reminds us that the best relationships aren’t perfect at the start,they’re faithful to the journey.
They are indeed, Sarika.
congrats to you both
Thank you, Beth.
How lovely – and how lucky are you both to have found each other…
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Happy anniversary. What a sweet story and journey. You two look better and better with age! 😊 Wishing you both a happy continued journey.
Aw, thank you, Ab!
Congratulations. Many more happy years to come.
Thank you, Sue.
Very happy for you both! Such happy faces over the years!!
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La fin d’un parcours et le début d’une nouvelle vie. Félicitations à vous deux.
Merci, Charef.
Beautiful story..
Thank you, Daisy.
Mitch and Trudy – Just keep on keepin’ on.
One day, while in high school, this cute boy walked up beside me and said can I carry your books? I let him. Last month we celebrated 65 years of marriage. My sister always said that if you looked up the word “soulmate” in the dictionary you would find a picture of us. Bill, my husband, has always said that God arranged our “walk” in high school. We really have always felt like soulmates. Today, and for quite a period of time now, I am my soulmate’s fulltime caregiver. Bill has Alzheimer’s. We are in our final “walk” together. He still knows me. I tell him over and over that if someday he doesn’t know me all he has to do is look into my eyes and see all the love I have for him, reflecting back at him, and he will know me.
Oh, Jeanne, what a beautiful testimony. Love and prayers❣
Thank you Mitch.
Congratulations!
Thanks, Tere!
How romantic and what a gift. Congratulations to both of you for such loving 43 years.
Thank you, Erika.
Congratulations to you both and thank you for sharing. 💖
My pleasure, Sandy!
You a Trudy are incredibly blessed. This is something I can relate to with my whole heart; my husband, Bill, and I have been together 58 years and married for 54. Congratulations to us all!
Congratulations to us all indeed, Nancy, but you two definitely win the prize❣
Thanks for sharing, Mitch. Every time Trudy’s name comes up in a post, or whenever you sneak an unnamed reference to her, the love shines through. Is today’s date that first sighting, the first coffee, the first serious date, the day you proposed, or your wedding date? If you’re like us, you celebrate them all! ❤️❤️
It’s been 43 years since the day we met, Gail. And, yes, we do celebrate multiple “Us” days❣
Very romantic
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How very sweet! Congrats to you both!
Thank you, Andi!
Fifty years ago this March my wife and I said, “I do.” We had met “by chance” sone time before, and I had become engaged in the interim. Mountains and valleys were in our future, near death experiences, and now more lasting health struggles persist. But I, too, “had no idea” what these decades would bring: two lovely daughters, four adopted grandchildren, many losses but incalculable gains.
I get that, Ivan. Life, like Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia, is good, but it isn’t “safe.”
Beautiful. God bless you all.
Thank you.
God has a clever way of bringing soulmates together. There are no coincidences in His divine plan. Congratulations, Mitch and Trudy! 🙂
I agree, and thank you, Nancy!
Congratulations.
Thanks, Andrew.
You’re welcome, Mitch.
Congratulations, and you make a beautiful couple.
Aw, thank you, Sheryl.
Happy Anniversary to you both 😊
Thank you, Christina!
Happy Anniversary!
Thank you, Steven!
Congrats and Happy Anniversary! Wishing you both many more joyful years together!
Thank you, Scott!
Wonderful, Mitch. Congratulations on a beautiful life built together! My husband & I celebrated our 47th this past fall!🎉🙏👏
Congrats to you, Mitzy!
Why, thank you, Mitch.
as for 22th
Congratulations on your shared journey together, you are each other’s person. What could be more beautiful and rewarding as this? Well done!🎉👏
Thank you, Wise. (I’m afraid I don’t know your name.)
It’s Renate.
Lovely to officially meet you, Renate.
That’s such an awesome story. It’s so true that our loved ones “sculpt” us into better people. Not only are our lives improved by knowing them, but our loved ones improve us, as well. Congratulations on 43 wonderful years!
Thank you, LC. (I’m afraid I don’t know your name.)
Congratulations! We’ll have 46 this year.
Rock on, Herb!
Aww! This was so sweet to read 😊
Thank you, Manu.
We just don’t know what a moment will mean to us until we look back in time!
So true, Vanya.
‘Almost entirely for good’ might be my favorite line.
Actually, that is real love. Unfinished, honest, and faithful.
Yep.
Congratulations to you both. Love is indeed a weird, wonderful and challenging thing especially after we have walked in it for most of our lives with the same person. God bless you with many more.
Thank you, Pete.
<3
Beautiful story well shared 👌👌
Thank you, Priti.
🙏
Thank you for this beautiful story. God is so good!.
He is indeed, Gregory.
Beautiful…Happy 43rd to you both!
Thank you, Janice!
God bless you both, and give you many more years together <3
Thank you, Gretchen❣
Simply beautiful, Mitch.
Congrats! 🎊
Thank you, T❣
My pleasure.
Well, Mitch, it seems to be working out pretty darn well for you both. Congratulations.
Thanks, Phil❣
Congratulations 👏🎉 wonderful. You look like a beautiful couple.
Thank you, Morag.
You are welcome.
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Beautiful. Not sure what is most appropriate… hand shake, fist bump, elbow bump, high five, back slap, cheek pat, boop on the nose… some kind of physical manly expression of ‘good stuff, bro’. Well done, well said, well shared. I can tell you – I honestly did not know the first time I saw/met Wendy (FabGirl) that we would join forces for the rest of our lives, either.
I think that’s the basis of every rom-com ever, Ed. ;>)
Isn’t it amazing how quickly it all went by? Love the pix, y’all look so happy. Congrats! 😎🙏
Thanks, Darryl!
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Congratulations to you, Mitch and Trudy. Thank you for sharing this part of your story. It warms my heart.
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Congratulations!
Thank you, Pete!
Congratulations. It brings me joy when I read and listen to stories of couples who have weather the storms and is still together and happy in their golden years. 🙂
Well…maybe silver years. ;>) Thank you, Bernadette.
🙂 Reach for gold!