Article by Wendy McCance
Do you have a love story? I do. My love story began in 2003. I met a man at work who would later become my husband. I remember when I first met my husband. He was shy and quiet. He hid himself quietly behind a baseball cap, but those gorgeous, deep blue eyes and dark as midnight hair still stood out and captured my attention.
I felt a connection right away. It was easy to become friends. He was easy-going and fun to joke around with. He laughed easily and was amused by my work antics. We worked at a truck plant and there was always a need for humor and fun to break up the monotony of long repetitive days.
We worked on the frame line together and enjoyed being with the same group of people. Soon enough we had a steady group of friends we had fun with each day. We would bring in music to listen to, watch movies on a laptop, cook food on a small grill and throw snowballs as snow-covered frames came into the factory from the train tracks directly behind the plant. It was all a lot of fun and yes, we did all of the above as we were working. Having the same group of friends at work and working in the same area at the plant gave us several years of fond collective memories to look back on.
Those years really established the relationship we had with each other. We worked at the same plant, in the same area, many times on jobs right next to each other for 8 to 10 hours a day. There were many weeks when we would work 50 hours or more and we always enjoyed each others company.
Eventually we married. We would drive to and from the plant together, work together and then come home to the same house together. We then spent more time together as we were exhausted from work and had little ambition to do much more than have friends and family over. We never got sick of being around each other and we laughed a lot.
When the plant closed, it was a difficult time for us. Two people losing their jobs at the same time is never easy. Our entire income was wiped out all at once. Yet, we never turned on each other. We helped each other back up onto our feet. We encouraged each other to pursue what was important to each of us. We rooted each other on as we went to school and went after careers that were very different than what we had done for so many years. We remained best friends and confidant. We took care of each other and helped each other get our footing again.
The hardest part of losing our jobs was losing our work life. We were used to spending our days together. Back then, we could talk about anything work related. We understood the struggles, the amusement and the exhaustion. We had the same work friends and had created a fun atmosphere that made life in the plant a more bearable experience. Oh the stories we could tell. It was a difficult time working in the plant, yet we have many fond memories.
Years since the plant has closed, my husband and I are still the best of friends. We have been through job changes, financial struggles, moving from one home to another and have dealt with health issues yet, we love each other more than ever. All of the big stressors never got the best of us, instead it brought out our best side. We experienced how much we were a team, in it together and there for each other. We took care to make sure we showed love and a spirit determined to get through the rough patches with everyone still in one piece and feeling okay after what we had endured.
Have you ever been at your worst and watched in awe as the one you love transforms into their best version of themself? My love for my husband has doubled experiencing that very transformation.
I have an autoimmune disease that can wipe me out. When a flare up hits, I am basically useless. I have trouble getting things done around the house and my work life slows down for a time. I experience pain, exhaustion and have been known to have difficulty walking. My life feels like it comes to a halt. It takes all I have to keep a sense of humor and not walk around in a cloud of defeat.
When I am experiencing a flare up, my husband who works long hours will somehow come home after a long day and find a second wind. He will make dinner if I had difficulty standing for too long. He will do the dishes if I am too shaky to put them away. He will help the kids with homework or drive them wherever they need to go. When he finally has an opportunity to sit down, he will sit with me.
Somehow this man who should be exhausted from work and stressed out because of the added responsibilities shines with a lightness and a love for me and the kids that just blows me away.
Even when I am doing fine, I get kissed each day before my husband leaves for work if I am awake and sometimes when I’m not. Each day I get a call from my husband while he is at work just so he can say hi and let me know that I was thought of. Each day I get a call when my husband is on his way home asking if I need anything to be picked up. Once in the house, my husband gives me a hug and says hello.
My husband is my love. He is the person I could write a love story about. I have never known someone who works so hard at showing me how much he cares. We don’t fight much, but we laugh often. We don’t cut each other down, but do a great job of lifting each other up. We bring out the best in each other and we each feel loved each day. I am grateful to have experienced true love and the power of being cared for.
Wendy McCance
To contact Wendy McCance about a writing or social media assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]
Latest posts by Wendy McCance (see all)
- I’m on the Ketogenic (Keto) Diet - March 20, 2016
- Do You Live Each Day With the Excitement of a Little Kid? - March 5, 2016
- Why Do Some People Get All The Lucky Breaks? - March 4, 2016
