What followed next was naturally meeting a young girl who I was attracted to and felt good about it. So I started dating her and meeting her mom, sister and brother. We went out to dinner, and started meeting daily and enjoying it. My first real experience and I did like it immensely. Having a girlfriend made me feel special. I was happy.
When my parents found out who I was dating, I was told immediately that they knew the mother of the girl and they advised me to stop seeing her anymore. I didn't like what they told me, and totally ignored what they had to say. After all I was happy and didn't want to hear what they thought. I was 18 and had a car. I thought I was a man, and did what I wanted to do.
This was normal for me at the time as it is with many other young men even today. What I lacked in experience then, was the best wishes of my parents to see me happy and not to end up getting hurt long term. Of course when you think you are in love, nobody can get to you to change your mind.
As great as my parents were, as much as they sacrificed for me every day, to raise me with love and respect, I just didn't want to hear it.
As soon as I was drafted, and later sent to Viet Nam in 1968, it wasn't three months later that I received what is known as a Dear John letter from my then girlfriend. For those who do not know what a Dear John letter is, it is a letter stating that the relationship was over, period. Talk about a kick in the teeth, a wrenching punch in the stomach, anger like boiling water, and rage. How could someone do this to you if you loved them. And you thought they loved you? This couldn't happen right? But it did.
Growing older and as time went by, I tried other relationships. You think you know people, you think it could not happen again, but you really do not know someone as well as you perceive in life.
Now I am a parent, and so it goes, relationships begin with my boys who are well over 18 years of age.
You hope for the best and want to see them happy. But you see them get hurt in other ways, just like when I was younger and I guess that is part of life. You can only say so much to them. Show your love and support. Telling them I want to see you happy and not get hurt but they do what they want telling you do not worry.
Now I am considered a senior citizen. And since I read this article, I would like to share it with everyone. It may help a few and that would be good enough for me.
Read part two Confessions of my early romance when I was 18 years of age.
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