Let your life dance on the edges of time like dew on the tip of the leaf.-Rabindranath Tagore
Roger Darling and I are already on the dance floor. There’s a break in the music, but we continue dancing. I can hear our feet on the hardwood floor. Shuffle, shuffle and slide, slide. Back and forth. Then side to side. He guides me around the floor with his hand in the small of my back. My left arm drapes his shoulder. He holds my right hand in his left. There is no distance between us. The song begins and we continue to dance. He wraps both of his arms around me. I place mine gently around his shoulders and lock my fingers behind his neck. Other couples look at us. They can tell this isn’t our first slow dance. It won’t be our last. It’s been 24 years of slow dancing with him, if you count the year of dating and our engagement.
It’s late in the evening, she’s wondering what clothes to wear
She puts on her make up and brushes her long blond hair
And then she asks me, Do I look alright?”
And I say,Yes, you look wonderful tonight
She puts on her make up and brushes her long blond hair
And then she asks me, Do I look alright?”
And I say,Yes, you look wonderful tonight
I know exactly where his feet are going as he guides me around the floor. He sings in my ear. I close my eyes, and lay my head on his shoulder. I listen. I want to sing along, but keep my mouth shut for once. With my eyes closed, I still know where his feet will go. Where his feet go, mine easily follow. They always have. Whether it was on a dance floor or in life. He always made it so easy for me to follow his lead. 24 years later he still does. Or does he follow my lead in life, while I follow his on the dance floor? I always say, I keep him young and he keeps me grounded.
We go to a party and everyone turns to see
This beautiful lady that’s walking around with me
And then she asks me, Do you feel alright?
And I say, Yes, I feel wonderful tonight
This beautiful lady that’s walking around with me
And then she asks me, Do you feel alright?
And I say, Yes, I feel wonderful tonight
Shuffle, shuffle and slide, slide. Back and forth. Then side to side. We keep dancing. Keeping rhythm to a sweet classic song by Eric Clapton. It’s Sweetest Day. A Hallmark holiday. Roger Darling made it real for us though. The memory comes to me as we sway. 24 years ago he locked me in his car just before a Fireman’s Ball. He turns to look at me and says, “I’m not going to ask you to marry me on Christmas Eve.” I stare back at him, convinced he’s breaking up with me. I’ve been down this road a time or two. I knew that it would end, because all good things did for me back then. I’m shocked as he opens his coat and extracts a velvet box from the inside pocket. He hands it to me. Tears spill from my eyes. I open it to find the most gorgeous ring I have ever seen. My engagement ring. A solitaire encircled by twenty diamonds. Along with a wedding band encrusted with ten more diamonds. I’m speechless.
I feel wonderful, because I see
The love light in your eyes and the wonder of it all
Is that you just don’t realize how much I love you
The love light in your eyes and the wonder of it all
Is that you just don’t realize how much I love you
Shuffle, shuffle and slide, slide. Back and forth. Then side to side. My head is still resting on his shoulder. He’s still singing in my ear. We keep dancing. And my mind wanders back again to 24 years ago. He says, “Honey, will you?” And I say, “yes.” I hand the box back to him and say, “you need to place the ring on my finger.” He removes it from the box and slides it on. It fits perfectly. I stare at it, in wide wonder. The diamonds look dazzling, even in the reflection of the overhead light in the car. We walk inside the dance hall where we meet Roger’s family and friends. I hide my hand from everyone for the first hour. We share the news with his parents first. Happiness and well wishes spread like wildfire and we dance the night away in celebration.
The song is almost over. I look up at Rog and tell him, “the night you asked me to marry you, I thought you were breaking up with me.” He smiles and says, “I know, but I didn’t.” I tell him, “no you sure didn’t.” We keep dancing. Familiar steps, made all the more familiar with all of the slow dances we’ve had over time. The song ends. He looks at me with all the love he had for me the day he asked me to marry him. He smiles and kisses me gently on the lips. We take each other’s hand and walk back to our seats.
It’s time to go home now and I’ve got an aching head
So I give her the car keys, she helps me to bed
And then I tell her as I turn out the light
I say, My darling, you were wonderful tonight
Oh, my darling, you were wonderful tonight
So I give her the car keys, she helps me to bed
And then I tell her as I turn out the light
I say, My darling, you were wonderful tonight
Oh, my darling, you were wonderful tonight
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Hand me a tissue would ya honey? This is so beautiful I immediately have to tweet and facebook it!
Oh Diana thank you for loving it and sharing it. You warm my heart, you know that? You are one of my biggest cheerleaders and it means so much to me. I’m not going to post as much. But I will be sure to keep writing. That Roger Darling of mine is a good one. I hope you have one like him.
And cry away. I sure did when I first wrote it. 🙂
This is so beautiful – such amazing writing.
Thank you so much my dear. I took a lot of time with it. Think that’s how I’ll do it from now on. Write a story, let it sit for awhile and then revise. No sense in posting every day. You all are still here and I’m so grateful. Thank you.
I can’t help but notice two things: One, you’re still here; and two, you’re still you! Happy to see both, and screw the people who try to get you down right? 🙂
I’m not going anywhere. The words are coming back. I’ll be more guarded with my heart and my posts. I do have a good journal entry to post in a couple of days. It might surprise you a bit. Glad you’re still here and you’re still you also. ❤
That was deliciously wonderful… I’m so glad you chose to stay! Your voice is needed!
Did I say how wonderful that was..?
Thank you honey. I’m glad you liked it. I’ll stay, but I won’t be writing as much. I think I’ll let my stories come and then post a few times a week. This one hit me on Saturday. I was so glad to get the words back. And thank you for saying it was wonderful and my voice is needed. I can’t even tell you how much that means to me.
I agree with Diana! I need a tissue! What a beautiful love story. I only hope to find something similar someday…So glad you have had all of those years to treasure together 🙂
This story came to me on Saturday night as I was dancing with Roger at a wedding reception. And from a FB post that same day. I’ve been having a hard time with words lately. I just let it marinate. Then edited and revised. I’m glad you liked it. And honey, I pray you find a love like mine and RD’s. It ain’t perfect, but that’s okay.
Que linda história! Que pedido de casamento fenomenal!!! Eu não sabia do seu amor, pensei que não tinhas, mas acabei de te conhecer e a historia do espírito de um grande amor me fez ir por outro caminho… Linda Renée, estou comovida e feliz.
Os amores não são perfeitos na vida real como são nos contos de fadas, mas são muito mais belos, com todas as suas falhas e encantamentos,, seus erros e acertos. Que graça tem a monotonia da perfeição? É preciso conhecer a noite para valorizar a beleza dos raios de sol, conhecer a dor para alcançar a plenitude da felicidade.
Um chamego em ti e que alegria te ler!
Obrigado por seus comentários doces. Meu querido Roger é um grande homem. Foi há vida fácil para ele viver com alguém como eu. Mas por alguma razão ele ainda está comigo. Sou muito grato por seu amor e sua graça. Ele me salvou de muitas maneiras. Me deu lindos filhos que agora são cultivados e por conta própria. Nós demos um ao outro uma vida boa. Obrigado Perfume para ler minhas palavras. Para amá-los também. Espero que o amor que você tem na sua vida é tão boa quanto a minha.
Renee
I love how stories can come to you in moments when you’re least expecting them. So glad you were able to hold the memory and write about it so well. I often have a hard time unless I write something down the second it’s happening!
And perfect’s over-rated anyways, I’d rather have real 🙂
Girl I carry a notebook and pen with me everywhere. It drives Roger Darling crazy. But when an idea comes to me I have to write it down. I don’t want to lose it.
So beautiful and heartwarming! My hubby hates to dance but I drag him on the dance floor when they play our song and love every 3 minutes of it! Thanks for the post! Emily
Honey my husband is the same way. Used to dance up a storm when we were dating. Now I can get him out on the floor to slow dance. I tell you though, those slow dances, they mean so much. Even when we were waiting for the music to start, we kept dancing. I do believe he would have just stood there and kept dancing with me. Even if the music never started again.
Opa! Esqueci de te perguntar se posso editar a foto do casal dançando no nosso blog? Posso?
Perfume.
É claro que meu querido. Eu acredito que é uma pintura de Frank Vettriano. Eu não posso esperar para vê-lo.
Renee
“The dance started without music”…I am adding that to my repertoire…priceless…be encouraged!
Thanks so much for the comment Stephen. It really did start without music.
True love always does…be encouraged!
Beautiful! Happy anniversary! 24 years. So inspiring!!!
Thank you. I don’t know if we’re inspiring or stupid. Hahahahahahahahah!
That was really lovely. My husband and I recently passed the 24-year mark of marriage, so this was a joy to read. And thank you for stopping by my blog. I appreciate it. 🙂
Thank you for your kind comments and for stopping by my blog as well.
Thank you for this powerfullytouching and romantic post! I love it!
Russ
Thank you so much Russ. I loved writing the story and living it. I hope this dance keeps going and going.