We met at the Beirut port in 1961, but we got to know each other in the sand box at the Beirut Baptist School (BBS). Tim’s family temporarily lived one floor up from my family in the missionary residence on the BBS campus while his parents studied Arabic before going to Jordan.
One of my earliest memories of us together is sailing paper boats in the BBS playground sandbox puddles after one of those infamous Mediterranean gully washer rainstorms. We attended BBS together; he in nursery and me in first grade. I should have known with such an auspicious sandbox beginning, that we would eventually end up together “playing” in the dirt in our own backyard 60 plus years later!
In 1962, the Graham sisters joined my big brother at ACS because my mom wanted us to experience an English language school before furlough in the US. On return from the US, I re-enrolled at ACS in the 5th grade. In the meantime, Tim attended ACS in Jordan, but during the Jordanian civil war, began Beirut ACS for the eighth grade, and continued through high school. We were good buddies during this time, but he was two years behind me in school and you know how that goes!!! Tim also grew close to my dad with their common love for history and archeology. They had many in depth conversations about which I was vaguely aware.
After my high school graduation, Tim and I lost personal touch and only reconnected at my dad’s funeral. I had been divorced after a 25-year marriage. Fortunately, one of my boys was already on his own and the other one had a year left in college.
As is normal protocol at funerals, family and close friends were hosted for dinner after the services. After the dinner, this red-headed man who I didn’t recognize, walked up to me and gave me a hug. Just as we connected, I exclaimed, “Oh Timmy, it’s so nice to see you!”
He whispered in my ear with a chuckle, “Sheila, no one calls me Timmy anymore!”
That’s how our conversations started, and they haven’t stopped since!
I guess that hug was quite impactful, because after emails and long phone calls back and forth, we started long distance dating and married after a year. Tim moved from Houston to Waco where I was executive staff/faculty at Baylor University. He began a new career in nursing after having worked twenty years as a senior engineering and construction scheduler for Fluor. Tim added on an RN degree to his education and spent the rest of his career as a hospice nurse and working for the State of Texas.
We’ve been married 24 years and still act like goofy newlyweds. We are now retired and love it! We garden together and enjoy hosting friends and family, especially grandchildren, nephews, and nieces. Tim is an incredible carpenter and has a full shop in our garage out of which emerge beautiful works of art, especially anything for which the grandchildren wish!
This second half of my life with Tim is like being on an endless holiday where our souls speak to each other, our minds connect, and our goals hold hands. It’s also quite endearing to have conversations in both English and Arabic, depending on what suits the topic! We are so grateful to have found each other again. I highly recommend marrying your best friend!
Tim wrote me the following poem in 2000 when we had been dating just a few months. Wow! I couldn’t ever imagine in my previous life anyone writing a poem for me!
So, I say today, after 24 years of marriage, “happy anniversary to us!”
What’s your story?
Born of storm
forged in fire
the steel rests
In chrysalis she waits
gaining strength
growing the wings
that will teach her to soar
The naked worm
transforming
into
her destiny
of radiant color
and shimmering beauty
gracefully flying
above the dirt
she left behind.