Ómnia vincit amor; et nos cedamus amori

“Ómnia vincit amor; et nos cedamus amori” - Virgil
Love conquers all things, so we too shall yield to love.

I asked Jaclyn to marry me yesterday and in doing so I had many thoughts inspire who I would like to exhibit in marriage. As thoughts flooded my head, the first thing that stuck out so vividly was my grandparents. My grandma recently passed away and I was a pallbearer at her funeral. At the memorial service her life with my grandfather was outlined so beautifully. Several people shared stories of how close my grandparents were and the selfless and thoughtfulness of my grandmother.

One particular story really stayed with me. A gentleman stood up and reminisced about being at the Roat farm one day and overhearing my grandma calling my grandpa out in the field to notify him that she was going into town to pick a few things up. Without hesitation or any pushing he said “I’ll be right there”. A few minutes passed and there he was opening the car door for her and kissing her sweetly before she headed for her short trip into town. That’s how their love was...steadfast, pure, driven, real. He would stop whatever he was doing, even in the middle of time-sensitive labor in a distant field, to show his love. There wasn't an audience to demand or reward to be won. There was love…simple, selfless, true.

Others went on to say how they would often drive by my grandpa to wave hello without even being aware that my grandma was in the car. Why you may ask…because she was tucked right next to him in the middle of the seat practically on his lap. This was not in the “honeymoon” period. This was well over five decades into marriage. It was incredibly inspiring. I left church that afternoon with a new sense of purpose in love. Love may not always be easy, but it really can change your life if you acknowledge its immensity. It cannot be attained in a given time or place. The path may be stricken with misfortune and hardship, but when I look at my grandparents I find hope. I find love, a love that I will strive to carry on in my relationship with Jaclyn. Here’s to love…past, present, future.