Our Story, as told by Joe

Twas an extraordinarily odd arrangement, as I ventured across the state line with a dear and close friend. Being 15 myself, and far from outgoing, some twist of fate brought me to join him, to meet a friend of a friend of a friend. The surprising part wasn’t that I was quickly taken by her charms, but rather that our parents somehow managed to enable this cross border relationship, as neither of us could drive ourselves.

Beyond that hurdle, lied many more. Yet through the trials and tribulations, the “stumble, stumble, fall, stumble, stumble, don’t fall” what we had was enduring. And not only enduring, but growing.

If a journey across the state line wasn’t daunting, a journey across the country surely was. We packed the car surprisingly lightly, and left my parents driveway, setting out on our own great adventure. Had it not been for a grueling pace, dysentery, cholera, and loss of oxen, we may have seen more of the country. What we definitely saw was more of each other. And it was good.

I haven’t had all the opportunities in the world, but I know I’ve had this one. And that’s something I’ll never let go.