August 4th, 1970

I was suppose to get married on August 4th 1970. I was 17 and "going with" a boy who I had dated for a year. We were off to college and wanted to keep our "relationship" going. We made a date to marry after college and it has stuck in my mind for all these years. I will call him the boy because that is what he was and I was the girl.

We were the typical kids of the 60's in our part of the world. You had a steady boyfriend and went with him to everything, prom, homecoming, Holiday dances and dating every weekend. It was a given that you spent all that time together. Then there was SEX...  This isn't going to be about teenage sex. There wasn't any. There was a lot of parking.. parking meant going to the local cemetery and making out. 

I often wonder what my life would have been if I had married the boy. I think we all wonder that. The road not taken.. I have had many twists and turns this life time. Times that I have wondered what to do and where to go. Times I wish I had a crystal ball that would tell me what was right. The relationship with the boy ended before Valentines Day of freshman year. 

I have never had any doubt that I made the right choice about not getting married on August 4th. 

 

Comments

[Mo Crow]

there's always magic at the crossroads

[Linda]

Isnt that the truth.

Sent from my iPhone

[John]

Instead, we were probably playing monopoly on 8/4/70. Funny, how the date has stuck in your memory. And the things we all remember. I've got a long list.

[Linda]

Youre right about the monopoly. I have a long list too. Some are embarrassing and some sweet memories.

Sent from my iPad

[Dana]

In August 1970 I was preparing for my first year of college. Its almost painful to remember how nervous and shy I was. I had already met the boy I would marry (in 1972). In fact I was only sixteen when that happened, much to my parents' consternation. We were way too young, but lucky. We are still married.

The trouble with crossroads is that if you see them, the decisions become so burdened with possibilities that they are difficult to make, but if you don't see them your course can't be undone.