Beth Day
We first met in 1986 on the Cal Poly Ski Club trip to Breckenridge. I had recently broken up with the president of Phil’s fraternity and since Phil was new to the house, he was strongly encouraged not to start anything with me. Still, we found time to get to know each other and held hands on the ice rink. I remember feeling happy and safe with Phil. We rode the bus home listening to my walkman, each of us not wanting the trip to end. When we got back to school, I reconnected with the old boyfriend and life went on. Boy, what a mistake that was…
Fast-forward to 2013, I happened across Phil’s name on Facebook and sent him a friend request. We began talking and instantly, the connection was made…again, this time stronger than ever. Both of us were getting out of loveless marriages and knew that what we were feeling only comes around once in a lifetime. With over 400 miles between us, we started our life together.
We have five teenagers between us and established jobs in different states, yet we never let more than 12 days go between visits. We’ve found time to see over a dozen concerts of our favorite artists, and explored all around the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. I’m an anxious traveler (to say the least) and even on a trip to Vietnam, I felt completely safe with Phil. He takes care of me in ways I never dreamed imaginable. And I love him like he’s never been loved before.
Phil is my true love, my best friend, my soulmate. We never go more than a few hours without reconnecting. Skype is our friend. We knew we had a five-year hill to climb before we could truly be together all the time. With nearly two years down and three to go, the finish line is always clearly in sight for both of us. Still, we enjoy the journey getting there and will always look back at this time with no regrets. We cherish what we have and will never take this second chance at love for granted. What we have is special beyond anything that words can describe.
