Long Distant Love
The college town of Evanston was where we first met.
It was the summer of 1970, when Mr. Nixon was president.
It would be two years later before we’d be married;
And we were forced to be long distance lovers.
Before the internet and wide use of cell phones, we made expensive landline calls, or otherwise wrote letters.
Yes, we did ‘the otherwise’ and wrote letters between the lakes.
My lake? Lake Michigan in Chicago. And hers? Winona Lake, Indiana.
The letters are most revealing of two people engaged to be married.
They portray simple facts, figures, people, places, and things.
One of the envelopes reveals a postal date of March 8, 1972, and a .08 postage stamp with the face of President Eisenhower.
My future wife indicated that it arrived the very next day.
This was long before Fed Ex and US Postal Next Day Express.
It seems that some things, like mail, take longer now and rises in price;
But life and love were simple and beautiful then, as we read our letters.
Between weekends; between two lakes; and between two states;
Love and romance were sweet, even though separated by some 90 miles.
Long before Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, there was love and romance.
Long before the instant gratification of email, there was long distant love.
Yes. The love was tried, but it thrived. The time and space were long.
Moreover, the love not only survived, but has lasted more than 40 years.
10122016 PS Contest, Long Distant Love, Nicola Byrne. 5P
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