Story submissions

From now onwards I am going to start accepting stories from the readers.So if you have any story you would like to share just mail the story to expertadvisecolumn@gmail.com .If I like the story and it is free of abuse I will publish it on this blog with your name and other details if you want.Thank you!!!!!!!

True love

I have a friend who is falling in love. She honestly claims the sky is bluer. Mozart moves her to tears. She has lost 15 pounds and looks like a cover girl. "I'm young again!" she shouts exuberantly. As my friend raves on about her new love, I've taken a good look at my old one. My husband of almost 20 years, Scott, has gained 15 pounds. Once a marathon runner, he now runs only down hospital halls. His hairline is receding and his body shows the signs of long working hours and too many candy bars. Yet he can still give me a certain look across a restaurant table and I want to ask for the check and head home. When my friend asked me "What will make this love last?" I ran through all the obvious reasons: commitment, shared interests, unselfishness, physical attraction, communication. Yet there's more. We still have fun. Spontaneous good times. Yesterday, after slipping the rubber band off the rolled up newspaper, Scott flipped it playfully at me: this led to an all-out war. Last Saturday at the grocery, we split the list and raced each other to see who could make it to the checkout first. Even washing dishes can be a blast. We enjoy simply being together. And there are surprises. One time I came home to find a note on the front door that led me to another note, then another, until I reached the walk-in closet. I opened the door to find Scott holding a "pot of gold " (my cooking kettle) and the "treasure" of a gift package. Sometimes I leave him notes on the mirror and little presents under his pillow. There is understanding. I understand why he must play basketball with the guys. And he understands why, once a year, I must get away from the house, the kids - and even him-to meet my sisters for a few days of nonstop talking and laughing. There is sharing. Not only do we share household worries and parental burdens - we also share ideas. Scott came home from a convention last month and presented me with a thick historical novel. Though he prefers thrillers and science fiction, he had read the novel on the plane. He touched my heart when he explained it was because he wanted to be able to exchange ideas about the book after I'd read it. There is forgiveness. When I'm embarrassingly loud and crazy at parties, Scott forgives me. When he confessed losing some of our savings in the stock market, I gave him a hug and said, "It's okay. It's only money." There is sensitivity. Last week he walked through the door with that look that tells me it's been a tough day. After he spent some time with the kids, I asked him what happened. He told me about a 60-year-old woman who'd had a stroke. He wept as he recalled the woman's husband standing beside her bed, caressing her hand. How was he going to tell this husband of 40 years that his wife would probably never recover? I shed a few tears myself. Because of the medical crisis. Because there were still people who have been married 40 years. Because my husband is still moved and concerned after years of hospital rooms and dying patients. There is faith. Last Tuesday a friend came over and confessed her fear that her husband is losing his courageous battle with cancer. On Wednesday I went to lunch with a friend who is struggling to reshape her life after divorce. On Thursday a neighbor called to talk about the frightening effects of Alzheimer's disease on her father-in-law's personality. On Friday a childhood friend called long-distance to tell me her father had died. I hung up the phone and thought, This is too much heartache for one week. Through my tears, as I went out to run some errands, I noticed the boisterous orange blossoms of the gladiolus outside my window. I heard the delighted laughter of my son and his friend as they played. I caught sight of a wedding party emerging from a neighbor's house. The bride, dressed in satin and lace, tossed her bouquet to her cheering friends. That night, I told my husband about these events. We helped each other acknowledge the cycles of life and that the joys counter the sorrows. It was enough to keep us going. Finally, there is knowing. I know Scott will throw his laundry just shy of the hamper every night; he'll be late to most appointments and eat the last chocolate in the box. He knows that I sleep with a pillow over my head; I'll lock us out of the house at a regular basis, and I will also eat the last chocolate. I guess our love lasts because it is comfortable. No, the sky is not bluer: it's just a familiar hue. We don't feel particularly young: we've experienced too much that has contributed to our growth and wisdom, taking its toll on our bodies, and created our memories. I hope we've got what it takes to make our love last. As a bride, I had Scott's wedding band engraved with Robert Browning's line "Grow old along with me!" We're following those instructions. "If anything is real, the heart will make it plain."

First kiss

My very first kiss... yes, I remember it well. She had been visiting my family this Sunday afternoon into the early evening. It was in the middle of winter and being in a northern state, it was very cold. Time finally came for her to return to her family a couple of blocks away from where I lived.I helped her on with her coat and she and I stepped through the door onto an uncovered porch. The window in the door was all steamed up from the heat within so no one could see us outside except as a blur. When we stepped outside, we found that is was pouring down snow in very large flakes and starting to gather on the ground.As we were standing there watching the snow, we turned toward each other, no words had been spoken, as if the snow had taken away our ability to talk. We looked into each other's eyes and still without saying a word, we stepped toward each other, we embraced and then our lips met; soft, warm, moist a totally sensual moment, but being so young, we had only the vaguest idea what sensual was. Our lips stayed together a long time, the snow falling in these huge drops around us and on us.Finally we parted and we both knew that THE THING had finally happened for both of us. Our First Kiss. Unforgettable

What is love?

Diane Ackerman said, "Everyone admits that love is wonderful and necessary, yet no one agrees on just what it is." Over the years, I have been learning what it is.When I first got married, I wanted to show my love to my new wife. I was drawn to romantic stories like one from the time of Oliver Cromwell in England where a young soldier had been tried in military court and sentenced to death. He was to be shot at the "ringing of the curfew bell." His fiancée climbed up into the bell tower. Several hours before curfew time and tied herself to bell's huge clapper. At curfew time, when only muted sounds came out of the bell tower, Cromwell demanded to know why the bell was not ringing. His soldiers went to investigate and found the young woman cut and bleeding from being knocked back and forth against the great bell. They brought her down, and, the story goes, Cromwell was so impressed with her willingness to suffer in this way on behalf of someone she loved that he dismissed the soldier saying, "Curfew shall not ring tonight."That must be love, I thought! That was the kind of commitment I needed to make! I wanted to give my all. To tie myself to the bell for her. To die, if necessary, for her. To sacrifice myself on the altar of true love! I wanted her to know that I’d give it all up for her.But she never wanted me to die for her. Never! Clean the toilets, maybe, but never die. My commitment was to be shown in household chores! (I read that an exhaustive study showed that no woman ever shot her husband while he was doing dishes. What a relief. Washing dishes may lack inspiration, but at least it's safe...)I was never called upon to tie myself to the bell. But I was still called upon to show my love - in little ways, mostly.I was needed to comfort her before we were married when the doctor told her she could never have children…to hold her hand and tell her I wanted her more than I wanted a family.I was called upon to sit by her hospital bed after surgery and encourage her.I was called upon to hold her after her father died and let her cry.I was also called upon to carve out alone time with her as often as possible and to make sure my plans included her as well as me.I was never needed to prove my undying love through a glorious act of self-sacrifice. It was something I was required to do in little ways, through one small act of kindness at a time.And that, I've learned, is love.

Christmas is for love by unknown

Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages. But mostly, Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small elf-like student with wide-eyed innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas. Mark was an 11 year old orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son. She never failed to remind young Mark, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child. I had not noticed Mark particularly until he began staying after class each day (at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger, I later found) to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day. When we did talk, Mark spoke mostly of his mother. Though he was quite small when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman, who always spent much time with him. As Christmas drew near however, Mark failed to stay after school each day. I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I had missed him, and his large gray eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, "Did you really miss me?" I explained how he had been my best helper. "I was making you a surprise," he whispered confidentially. "It's for Christmas." With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any more after that. Finally came the last school day before Christmas. Mark crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back. "I have your present," he said timidly when I looked up. "I hope you like it." He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box. "Its beautiful, Mark. Is there something in it?" I asked opening the top to look inside. " "Oh you can't see what's in it," He replied, "and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights, and safe when you're all alone." I gazed into the empty box. "What is it Mark," I asked gently, "that will make me feel so good?" "It's love," he whispered softly, "and mother always said it's best when you give it away." And he turned and quietly left the room. So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile as inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them that there is love in it. Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth and song, for good and wondrous gifts. But mostly, Christmas is for love.

A teacher's lesson

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around." His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken." Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class." By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one her "teacher's pets." A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life. Then four more years passed and yet another letter came.. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer -- the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D. The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. They hugged each, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

The salty coffee

He met her at a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he was so normal, nobody paid attention to him.At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, and she thought to herself, "Please, let me go home..."Suddenly he asked the waiter, "Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously, "Why you have this hobby?" He replied, "When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there." While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched. That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home... Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family.That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married to the prince, and then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said, "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life's lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt. It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything... Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth, I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste... But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again."Her tears made the letter totally wet. Someday, someone asked her, "What's the taste of salty coffee?" She replied, "It's sweet."Pass this to everyone because love is not to forget but to forgive, not to see but understand, not to hear but to listen, not to let go but HOLD ON!!!!

A girl who felt ignored

This story is about a girl who felt ignored..I have a boyfriend who grew up with me. His name is Jin.I always thought of him as a friend until last year, when we went to a trip from a club, I found out that I fell in love with him.Before the trip was over, I took a step and confessed my love for him.And soon, we became a pair of lovers, but we loved each other in different ways.I always concentrated on him only, but by his side, there was so many other girls.To me, he was the only one, but to him, maybe I was just another girl..."Jin, do you want to go watch a movie?" I asked."I can't""Why? You need to study at home?" I felt disappointment grabbing me."No... I am going to meet a friend..."He was always like that.He met girls in front of me, like it was nothing.To him, I was just a girlfriend. The word 'love' only came out of my mouth.Since I knew him, I had never heard I'm say 'I love you' before.To us, there weren't any anniversaries at all.He didn't say anything from the first day and it continued till 1O0 days...2O0 days...Everyday, before we say goodbye, he would just hand me a doll, everyday, without fail. I don't know why...Then one day...Me: Um, Jin, I...Jin: What...don't drag, just say...Me: I love you.Jin: ...........you.....um, just take this doll and go home.That was how he ignored my 'three words' and handed me the doll.Then he disappeared, like he was running away.The dolls I received from him everyday, filled my room, one by one.There were many....Then one day came, my 15th year old birthday.When I got up in the morning, I pictured a party with him, and stranded myself in my room, waiting for his call.But... lunch passed, dinner passed...and soon the sky was dark... he still didn't call.It was already tiring to look at the phone anymore.2am in the morning, he suddenly called me and woke me from my sleep. He told me to come out of the house.Still. I felt joy and I ran out happily.Me: Jin...Jin: Here...take this...Again, he handed me a little doll.Me: What's this?Jin: I didn't give it to you yesterday, so I am giving it to you now. I'm going home now, bye.Me: Wait, wait! Do you know what today is?Jin: Today? Huh?I felt so sad, I thought he would remember my birthday.He turned around and walked away like nothing had happened.Then I shouted..."Wait..."Jin: You have something to say?Me: Tell me, tell me you love me...Jin: What?!Me: Tell meI put my pathetic self behind and clung onto him.But he just said simple cold words and left."I don't want to say...that I love someone so easily, if you are desperate to hear it, then find someone else."That was what he said. Then ran off...My legs felt numb...and I collapsed to the ground. He didn't want to say it easily...How could he...I felt that...Maybe he is not the right guy for me...After that day, I stranded myself at home crying, just crying.He didn't call me, although I was waiting.He just continued handing me a little doll every morning outside my house.That's how those dolls piled up in my room... everydayAfter a month, I got myself together and went to school.But what made the pain resurface was that.... I saw him on a street...with another girl...He had a smile on his face, one that he never showed me...as he touched the doll...I ran straight back home and looked at the dolls in my room, and tears fell...Why did he gave these to me...Those dolls are probably picked out by some other girls...In a fit of anger, I threw the dolls around.Then suddenly, the phone rang. It was him.He told me to come out to the bus stop outside my house.I tried to calm myself down and walked to the bus stop.I kept reminding myself that I am going to forget him, that....its going to end.Then he came into my sight, holding a big doll.Jin: Jo, I thought you were pissed, you really came?I couldn't help hating him, acting like nothing had happened and joking around.Soon, he held out the doll as usual...Me: I don't need it.Jin: What....why...I grabbed the doll from his hands and threw it on the road.Me: I don't need this doll, I don't need it anymore!! I don't want to see a person like you again!I spitted out all the words that were inside me. But unlike other days, his eyes were very shaky."I'm sorry" He apologized in a tiny voice.He then walked over to the road to pick up the doll... "You stupid! Why are you picking up the doll?! Just throw it away!!!"But he ignored me and just went to pick the doll.Then...Honk~ Honk~With a loud honk, a big truck was heading towards him."Jin! Move! Move away!" I shouted...But he didn't hear me, he squatted down and picked up the doll."Jin, move!"HONK~!!!"Boom!" That sound, so terrifying.That's how he went away from me.That's how he went away without evening opening his eyes to say one word to me.After that day, I had to go through everyday with guiltiness and the sadness of losing him...And after spending two months like a crazy person...I took out the dolls.Those were the only gifts he left me since the day we started going out.I remembered the days I spent with him and started to count the days... when we were in love..."One...two... three..."That was how... I started to count the dolls..."Four hundred and eighty four... four hundred and eighty five..."It all ended with 485 dolls.I then started to cry again, with a doll in my arms.I hugged it tightly, then suddenly..."I love you~, I love you~"I dropped the dolls, shocked."I....lo..ve...you??"I picked up the dolls and pressed its stomach."I love you~ I love you~"It can't be!I pressed all the dolls' stomach as it piled on the side."I love you~""I love you~""I love you~"Those words came out non-stop.I...love you...Why didn't I realize that.....That his heart was always by my side, protecting me.Why didn't I realize that he love me this much...I took out the doll under the bed and pressed it's stomach, that was the last doll, the one that fell on the road.It had his blood stain on it.The voice came out, the on that I was missing so much..."Jo...Do you know what today is? We've been loving each other for 486 days. Do you know what 486 is? I couldn't say I love you.... Um... since I was too shy... If you forgive me and take this doll, I will say that i love you... everyday... till I die... Jo... I love you..."The tears came flowing out of me. Why? Why? I asked god, why do I only know about all this now?He can't be by my side, but he loved me until his last minute...For that... and for that reason... to me... it became courage... to live a beautiful life...

A couple's heartbreak

A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked the wife to cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. The mother, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter.The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and, fascinated with its color, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband.When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words.What do you think were the four words?The husband just said "I Love You Darling"The husband's totally unexpected reaction is proactive behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he have taken time to keep the bottle away, this will not have happened. Nopoint in attaching blame. She had also lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband. That is what he gave her.Sometimes we spend time asking who is responsible or who to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know. We miss out some warmth in human relationship in giving each other support. After all, shouldn't forgiving someone we love be the easiest thing in the world to do? Treasure what you have. Don't multiply pain, anguish and suffering by holding on to forgiveness.If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer problems in the world.Take off all your envies, jealousies, unwillingness to forgive, selfishness, and fears and you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think.

Fate brought us together

One weekend I was home alone and I was feeling down because I just had a fight with my first son's father. When my best friend called me up and asked me if I wanted to go out with her to a dance club. Not really wanting to go, I accepted the invitation anyway and told her the only way we would go is if we take the initiative at the dance club and take the men out to dance. Well to my surprise we go to the dance club and as we are walking to the back of the dance club, I spotted a tall handsome man dancing. I just knew it in my heart that he was the one for me. My best friend at the time notices that I was eyeing him, she goes in front of his friend and starts dancing with him so the guy that I had my eye on turns around and we started to dance. When we were finished dancing we talked for awhile and exchanged numbers. That same night he called me and we spoke to each other until dawn. There was only one catch to this man. He lived in Virginia and I lived in NY. After speaking with him some more on the phone, he met me at my house before he left to Virginia and as we spent the day together, I started falling in love with him. He decided to stay in NY and spend a whole week with me. We fell in love and I moved to Virginia. Now we are happily married for 4 years and have one child together and raising my first son together. Fate brought us together !!!

A very sad love story

One night a guy and girl were driving home from the movies. The boy sensed there was something wrong because of the painful silence they shared between them that night. The girl then asked the boy to pull over because she wanted to talk. She told him that her feelings had changed and that it was time to move on.A silent tear slid down his cheek as he slowly reached into his pocket and passed her a folded note. At that moment, a drunk driver was speeding down that very same street. He swerved right into the drivers seat, killing the boy. Miraculously, the girl survived. Remembering the note, she pulled it out and read it." Without your love, I would die."

A story by Jesse Gresl(true story)

With no one special in my life, it was easy to lean on a stranger that I'd hardly known, but somehow was sure would be part of my future. The place was slightly less romantic than a Kate Hudson movie, but what else could a waitress working double shifts at a dinner expect. I'd been working at this hole-in-the-wall dinner adjacent to a gym and a strip joint, for three years, with no hope for promotion. My boss sucked, and my life sucked, and I was on the verge of a psychotic breakdown. One day, this charming man came into my life, he'd been eating at the dinner regularly for about a week before striking up a conversation with me. A lonely, desperate, and broke waitress, covered in burger grease and the smell of pickles... what did this mystery man want with me? After only dating for two months I fell madly in love with him, and we decided to elope in Vegas. When we arrived in Vegas we didn't have a witness for the wedding ceremony, so we paid a black-jack dealer we met $50 bucks to stand next to us as we read our vows to each other. This black-jack dealer attended our "reception" which was actually a couple drinks at a bar, guest-list including James, the black jack dealer, Adam, my groom, and me. We got stinking drunk, and had the best honeymoon possible. We stayed married for 2 years before Adam was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His conditioned worsened and he eventually had to stop working. I was back doing double shifts at the crappy dinner. Struggling to make ends meat, and trying my best to help Adam, I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, and went into depression. Adam passed away, and I attempted suicide but never achieved it. Still praying for a miracle, and almost giving up on God, I went into work that day and served a cheese-burger, no lettuce, extra ketchup to a very familiar looking man. Not in all the stars above would I have guessed that the man eating that burger was James, the black-jack dealer who witnessed my wedding, and attended my reception. At first I was furious with God for reminding me of my lost husband when I had finally started to pull myself together again. But James smiled and offered me a bite of his onion-ring, as we talked about the past, and the present, and eventually the future. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my Adam, and the love that we shared, but I will never cease to be amazed by the mystery behind fate, and her plan for me and James to be in love. Not a greater love then the one I had before, not better or worse, but different, new with a shiny silver lining. James is lawyer now, and I quit my job at the dinner to go to college and get a medical degree, he's proposed and we're planning on a big wedding. Adam might not be there when James and I say our vows, but I know he'll be looking down at us, as a witness to another amazing love. I hated that dinner, but it was there that I found both halves of my heart.