They were in the prime of life but both beyond "marriagable age". She had never found Mr. Right, although many had applied for the position. He had been through one disasterous relationship. He wasn't precisely burned, but, certainly careful. They were introduced through friends. He read every single word of her blog before meeting her.
As love would have it they were lucky. Two very fine people who recognised each other's qualities. Bloggers both, they delighted us with tales of their adventures. Since they lived a continent apart and across an international border, it was a sometimes long-distance relationship. That was all meant to change with the faithfully blogged "popping of the question." They planned a wedding to remember for exactly one year from the date they met. Now posts were about the preparations.
Mere weeks before the big event, he got a bad diagnosis. She raced to his side and never left it. Posts were now about treatments and options until it got down to the grim fatality of, "How much time is left?" Many friends, old and new, on-line and otherwise, and "virtual" strangers logged on and left comments of support, hope and prayer.
There was never any question that they would still get married as planned. The only question was when. Finally it was settled to go with the originally scheduled date but very scaled down.
He barely made it to his own wedding, sick as he was. He couldn't get off the floor the night before and would have been hospitalized had not his father-in-law and the grandmother of his wife's niece hovered over him tending him tenderly. (And if THAT isn't true love, I'd like to know what is!) She barely made it to the wedding-it took her that long to compose herself. He was rushed to the hospital as soon as "I do" was said. He was admitted for 9 days. As soon as he was able he blog-bragged about being "off the market". Told us the story in his own words. We all cried.
Plucky couple kept us all up to date. He was blogging about his toy trains just 10 days before he passed away-which was just over two months after they got married. She proceeded to blog his memory and the grief process. She told us that in spite of everything it was worth it. Tears fell on keyboards all over the world.
And Jesus wept.
