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Loving someone significantly and obviously different than ourselves can be a challenge. The difference I've experienced is age. My husband, being twenty-seven years my senior, created a few hurdles, every single one of them worth overcoming.

The most difficult problem that presented itself was in my own mind, as well as his: "What will everyone think?" Some saw me as a gold-digger, while others thought he was going through a midlife crisis. Mama always said to consider the source, and this is where she knew what she was talking about! Both his and my close friends knew how we worshiped each other. The "outsiders" never were close enough to make a justifiable assessment of our relationship, so we kept those opinions "outside!"

Another very real thought we confronted was "How normal is this?" Historically and globally, men often took much younger brides and for a variety of reasons. It was neither abnormal nor was it frowned upon. It was simply accepted. Once he and I accepted the love that existed, without thinking we were strange, the love only deepened.

One more big issue that occurred was health issues. At sixty-six, he was diagnosed with cancer. I became his nurse. With a year and a half in remission, our life returned to some normalcy, but when the cancer returned raging, I became his comforter. As I walked with him to the "Great Ship" on the harbor of life, I knew I was the privileged one. We shared a love that some don't even believe exists, and I was loved by the greatest man I've ever known. The fourteen years we spent together were a great gift.

While loving someone with a obvious differences may be a challenge, requiring flexibility, endurance, and wisdom, true love is worth any small sacrifice that may be necessary. If you feel genuine love for someone, grab it with both hands and don't let go!

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