Blessing #149 - Smitten

Today's post is written by my dad! He's written a post before, and for this special day he had to write another post. The fact that he still celebrates this day is a big blessing to me.  

Smitten is an old English word. It is archaic, (no longer used) in most conversations. It has several meanings and the sentence structure determines the meaning. It can mean to hit somebody or something hard; to affect or afflict somebody; but the way I will use it will be to fill somebody with love. So this is a story about a heart smitten with love.

 I had known of Terry (her daddy wanted a boy so they spelled it with a y instead of an i) but had never really got to talk with her. It was at a party on the 25th , the last Saturday night in October 1969 that I got to really meet her. I don’t remember much about anybody or anything else at the party, for once I talked with her my heart was smitten.

 The moon was shining brightly and there was a light breeze in the air given the night an autumn feel about it. I still remember the wrap around blue and brown plaid jumper with the brown turtle neck shirt. The reason all this stood out was because her long brown, straight hair fell across her shoulders in such a way that it shined in the moon light. Her brown eyes sparkle in the night as she smiled with that one little freckle on her lower lip. Yes, I would say I was smitten.

 Later that night after her “friend” took her home, I drove passed by her house. The truth be known I made many trips by her house in the next few weeks in hope of seeing her outside. That was before I had ever heard of stalking. Stalking is a steady pursuit or a steady harassment. My heart was smitten so on my behalf it was a steady pursuit.

 At school I could not wait for the classes to change so I could just get a glimpse of her or to hear her voice as I said, Hello. With each passing day I knew more and more that I was smitten. This was all new territory for me. I did not know what to do. I did not know what I should do?

 Three weeks had passed and it was Friday. Parkwood High school was having a home football game and I knew she would be there. I had decided to tell her how I felt, but what if she did not feel the same way about me. I was so nervous that I was sick on my stomach. That night at the football game, I ask her to be my girlfriend.

 Here we are, after three years of dating, forty years of marriage, two children and six grandchildren we are back to November 14th. I remember this day each year. It stands out above all the other days. You may say, Bill, why is the 14th on November so special. It is because this is the day I found out, she was smitten too.