On Oct 16, 1993 I proclaimed to the world that I had “found the one whom my soul loves” (Song of Solomon, 3:4). The Covenant we made that day is still just as strong today as we celebrate 17 years of marriage. But we’ve been together for almost 20 years, and I still remember the day we met as if it were yesterday.
I had just arrived home from work (I was a DJ at a local radio station) and Phyllis and her friend, Shannon, came by the house to invite me and my roommates to a party. I was the only one home, so I went with them. (If you want to see the full story–in the style of Alice’s Restaurant–click here: http://ericwilbanks.com/our_story.html).
The party itself was a pretty low-key event. A small group of us decided that it would be fun to play cards and I suggested my favorite game, Rummy. Phyllis had never played Rummy, so I volunteered to be her teammate and teach her the game. Today, we still have a set of rustic King and Queen wall hangings displayed prominently in our living room as a reminder of that night.
We saw each other a few more times, and within a couple of weeks I had finally experienced what so many talk about concerning love: I knew that I had found “the one.” Of course, I wasn’t a kid any more, and I knew the dangers of rushing love, so I kept my thoughts and feelings private for the time and decided instead to journal them. My plan was to say in the journal all the things I wanted to say to Phyllis, and then present it to her as a gift the night before our wedding. Even long after our verbal commitment to one another had been affirmed, I continued to journal my deepest thoughts for two years.
Through the years, Phyllis has been the kind of wife and mother that every home needs: Kind, compassionate, committed, positive, inspiring, and so much more. But more than that, she has been my soul mate, my love, my life. I am looking forward to the next seventeen years with great anticipation of all we will experience together.
Happy anniversary, Phyllis. I love you.
