Etched Ivory

Yesterday KP and I went on a walk.  I was trying to find something, something I remembered from many years ago.  I wanted to know if it was still there. 

The third week of August, 1988 Adam and I took an easy strolling hike through the woods. 

It would be the last time we would see each other until Thanksgiving.  We were heading off to start our freshman year in college.  Adam was the lucky one to leave town first.

We were saying good bye.  Neither of us knew what was in store.  All we knew was that it would be amazing and life changing and Lord knows what else.  We’d hoped we could make it.

I remember packing up his going away gift.  It was a little kid’s pencil box.  Inside the box was a (big boy) pen with his name on it, stationary with stamped envelopes pre-addressed to me, and the rest was filled in with root beer barrels and butterscotch candies.  

As we walked we came upon this bridge.  We dangled our feet over the side, talked, cried and kissed.  And right before we left Adam took his key and etched a heart into the wood and in the heart wrote MT + AS.

Adam left that afternoon.  I spent the rest of the afternoon and night sobbing into my pillow not knowing what the future held.

KP and I went back yesterday to see if our heart was still there.  It wasn’t, but so many others were.  And as I looked at the planks of wood that had been replaced and the other names that there the memories came flooding back. 

So many years ago, so young, so innocent, so fragile…so lucky.  We are so lucky to have each other and so many wonderful and crazy and absolutely amazing memories already.  Thank you for those and for all those that are yet to come.

I love you Adam.

Happy 14th!

Filed under Adam | Comment (1)