In late August, as the dog days of summer waned and the dandelions roots grew fat, it came time for Brent to return to his college up in the Pacific Northwest. Sadly, even though our families’ homes were only 5 miles apart, we both lived and attended colleges in separate states.

…We would soon begin a long distance relationship that spanned 3 ½ years…

…Like a treasure chest filled with gold, almost every love letter we have ever written to one another lies piled in a box, sealed with mailing tape, and stored in the top of our closet…

Photo by: “Angela”

…Time and distance did not keep us apart.

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Deaf, Grief, Hearing Loss, Late-Deaf, Love, My Story, Support | No Comments »

Photo by: “Toos&TheSea”

As I lay there in the stillness, I suddenly remembered the second verse in the Song of St. Barbara.

In my head, I heard an entire orchestra in accompaniment to this song! I heard flutes, strings, horns, drums and crashing cymbals! I felt so alive! I felt hope! I felt gratitude! I felt overwhelmed with love! I let this inner-music carry me off into the land of dreams….

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Family, Grief, Hearing Loss, Late-Deaf, Love, Meaning, Music, My Story | 1 Comment »

…We sat in some lawn chairs under the leaves of a large maple tree and talked…

…Then Brent shifted a little in his chair. He leaned forward with his arms on his knees, cocked his head to the side and looked sweetly at me through his long bangs. He told me he had been thinking about me, non-stop, since we met, and that he had written something he would like me to read. My heart crept to my throat in anticipation as he handed me what was to be the first love letter of hundreds more to come…

…This may sound crazy, but I’m falling in love with you!

Photo by: Suheilah Waeli

…It all happened so quickly — the curious uplifting, the incredulous wonder, the sudden inexplicable joy! I guess when the “real thing” happens, there is no doubt. What was happening, was happening to both of us. We had fallen in love!

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ASL - Sign Language, Family, Hearing Loss, Late-Deaf, Love, Meaning, My Story, Support | 1 Comment »