The day was miserably cold and rainy
Winnie the Pooh would say it was a blustery day.
It also was a Saturday the day before Easter which most of the time means we may or may not be shopping for dinner and gifts for Easter baskets depending on the family plans.
When it storms like that either you hunker down and find a good book, warm fire and hot tea
or you sit by the windows and just watch it till it goes away.
I remember when he said to me “let’s go to the beach” I looked outside and answered back “are you kidding?”
When I go to the beach my desire is to walk as we listen to the waves, walk more and just bask in the warmth of the sun.
We might grab a travel chair, coffee from a thermos along with a few snacks knowing that Oregon beaches are often cool but very nice and relaxing on most occasions.
This was a storm day and the beach was an hour and 45 minutes away and I was not really in the mood to sit in the car while we drove that long during an intense rain storm.
It didn’t feel like fun or safe to me.
He persisted with the question.
“Want to go to the beach?”
No I really didn’t.
I could see his face and look of disappointment and so I agreed
to ‘go for a drive’.
The rain pounded on our car.
The wind rocked it.
I kept saying, “Why are we going to the beach today?”
He answered back,
“It’s an adventure dear just relax and let me drive.”
The rain storm moved into a hail storm and I remained quiet.
The drive seemed longer than usual.
The only sound we heard was the pea sized hail pounding ferociously against the metal roof of the car.
When we finally arrived at the beach safely I was greatly relieved.
The beach was windy and cold.
Not the kind of weather one would purposely drive or walk out in.
He took my hand and said, “let’s walk.”
By this time my patience was becoming very thin and I did not want to walk in the rain.
I walked with a heart not willing blended with a bad attitude.
After about 15 minutes of walking he stopped and said,
“let’s sit down.”
As I began to sit on a cold and wet log I noticed him kneeling in the sand.
My curiosity peaked and I thought to myself,
“Is he having a heart attack?”
He reached into his pocket and had something in his hand.
He said to me “When we were young and I asked you to marry me, neither one of us knew what that meant”
I am listening now and wondering what he is up to.
“I wanted to create a new memory so when our grand children ask you how it happened you will have a story that has meaning and purpose.”
I continued to listen as the rain dripped down the hood of my coat against my face.
As he moved into a kneeling position on one knee I was thinking to myself, “he is going to get stuck and I will have to call for emergency help” then I watched him pull out a box and I heard him say to me,
 “Will you marry?”
As he showed me what he was holding in his hand.
There was a diamond band inside the box.

I was in shock and had no words.
WE had already made it 34 years and we had children and grand children now.
Many years ago we were young ‘teenagers’ saying our vows to each other.
Will you take this man to love for the rest of your life?
Could anyone know what that means at age 18?
To love. 
I said Yes to love one more time on that rainy day at the beach.
Everyday I remember when I wear my diamond band 

that love is forged through storms that shake us to the core. 
Storms rattle us and rock us and 
dampen our plans at times.
Storms make us cold and uncomfortable and 
we don’t appreciate them
until a sunny day comes along.
It was appropriate to begin again 
in the middle of a mighty storm.
To love each other through those times
is like a rainbow that appears after the storm passes.
I said Yes to love when I didn’t fully understand the reason
the first time as a young bride.
I said Yes to love when I did understand the reason
the second time as an older bride.
I said Yes to love the day before Easter 
a day for changed hearts and lives renewed 
with a new appreciation of what it really means to love. 
(we have been married 38 years now and we still love the storms at the beach)