Once in a blue moon love story
06/06/2017
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” ― Dr. Seuss
Twenty-five years ago today I married Phil McElhaney and it changed the trajectory of my life.
Today I celebrate our once-in-a-blue-moon love story!
On New Year’s Eve, 1990 there was a blue moon. I helped Phil host his annual NYE party. We’d only been dating a few months but when we went out on his back porch to look at the blue moon he told me he loved me. For the first time I said, “I love you, too.”
We married June 6, 1992 and vowed to love and cherish each other “‘till death do us part.” (We left out ‘obey!’) We had an amazing life with love, laughter, travel and adventure. This amazing man showed me what it meant to be fully loved. He taught me how to truly enjoy life. Tragically, only seventeen years later death parted us.
The first New Year’s Eve after his death there was a blue moon. That only happens on NYE every 19 years. What are the chances it would be at the beginning and end of our life together? As I stood on the porch with friends we looked at the blue moon and hugged as we shared our first NYE without him.
It’s been eight years now since Phil passed. The acute pain of grief has become like scar tissue on my heart. I have built a life I love after losing the love of my life.
Today, I’m not sad because it’s over. I celebrate because it happened. I had an amazing once-in-a-blue-moon love. I got to share an amazing life and love with an amazing man. Not everyone gets that lucky.
Does a person have more than one soul mate? Will I find another amazing love? I don’t know but I’m open to the possibility.
What I do know for sure is that I’m better, stronger, braver and enjoy life more because of my once-in-a-blue-moon love story with this amazing man.
Today I celebrate love!
Recreating Joy 
I am friends with your friend Rhonda. She told me about your book so I read it. I lost my soulmate of 37 years 3 years ago. I absolutely loved the book and could not put it down until I finished it.
Maxine, I’m so glad you reached out! Rhonda told me about you losing your husband and reading my book. I’m happy that it was helpful to you. I’m sure that after 37 years your lives were totally entwined. It’s hard to become ‘me’ after so many years of ‘we.’ I felt I’d turned a corner about the 3 year mark. Hope you’re having a good week!
Myra
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