Love is in the air... It's My (REAL) Anniversary

Today is my REAL Wedding Anniversary.
My husband, James, and I were married on September 11, 1993 at the church of Christ 

on Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis , Tennessee.

I have told you in a previous post how James has all of these OTHER "anniversary" dates for us (anniversary of our first phone call, anniversary of our first date, anniversary of the date we got our marriage license, ect.) These are dates that he quizzes me on every year...and dates that I NEVER remember !!!
Unfortunately ...and sadly, terrorists made my wedding anniversary day one that I 

(and practically all Americans) will never forget ...9-11
On September 11, 2001 thousands of Americans lost their lives in a terrifying

terrorist attack on U. S. soil. 

Although, I celebrate a joyous occasion on 9-11, it is always bittersweet.

I am always telling everyone about how my husband and I met on a blind date. 
We actually did!!
One of my dear friends, who I had not seen or talked to in several years, called me up out of the blue one day.  She said that she had found the perfect man for me.
He attended the church in Martin, Tennessee, where her husband was the minister.
She told me that she had been watching him and he was THE ONE !

My thoughts/reply……….
"What's wrong with him?" ..."Why does he need to be fixed up on a blind date?" 

Knowing the ratio of eligible black men to women...especially in the church,
I thought it very odd that he might need a "hook-up".
Anyway, to make a long story short, she talked me into agreeing to a blind date.
On the day of the date, I made her stay on the phone with me until he arrived/ until I saw him, so that I could tell her what I thought of him. I wanted to let her know if I was going to have to KILL her or not !
I was looking out of the window, with phone in hand, when he drove up.  When he got of the car, I told her that she was safe and that I would not have to kill her. I told her that he was handsome and "FINE"....but rather short , it seemed, for my taste, Anyway, he was passable, we got off of the phone .
I thought that it was a terrible date. It was! I think we argued the whole time! I KNOW that we argued all through our lunch at Ryans Steakhouse.  
Evidently he saw things differently.
He asked me for a second date...and the rest, as they say, is history.

 (In the poem I say we have been married 14 years. The poem was written in 2007. Now it is 19 years)

                Q:  What makes a marriage last? A:   REAL Love !

KIND SWEET WORDS from a dear, (male) Facebook friend on Anniversary post :

'Your love for each other shines through so bright in your poetry. But I can tell it shines every day, which only makes today that much more special. You are an example.'

ABOUT MY POETRY- My Purpose - Patricia Neely-Dorsey

I have always considered myself a "Goodwill Ambassador" for Mississippi and the south. While attending Boston University, my nicknames were Tupelo and Mississippi.  Whenever my friends saw me coming, they knew that there would be some type of discourse about Mississippi and the south soon to follow...hoping to clear up their many misconceptions and preconceived notions. ...Yes, we DO have shoes in Mississippi.  We might not wear them all of the time...but we do have them!(LOL)
There are so many negative connotations associated with Mississippi and the south in general. I want to show a flip side of the coin. There is much to love about this much maligned and misunderstood part of our country.  I would really love for you to get to KNOW Mississippi (and the south) in a different light and I want to introduce you.   

I invite you to Meet Mississippi  through poetry, prose and the written word.

I believe that we can bridge many gaps of misunderstanding across regional, racial, cultural, generational and economic lines by simply telling/sharing our stories.

Miguel Algarin said, "When I see what you see, the distance between us disappears."

I travel all around my state speaking at schools, churches, libraries and various civic organizations, delivering the message of a positive Mississippi and a positive southern experience....According to me, one of the best places to live in ALL of the world is POSITIVELY MISSISSIPPI !!!

 Link to books on Amazon

Reflections of a Mississippi of a Magnolia A Life in Poems

My Magnolia Memories and Musings in Poems

Patricia's Pearls of Wisdom - Find Your Path and Stay On It

 

Patricia Pearls of Wisdom: Know Your Worth

HAPPY LABOR DAY

                                                                                                         

Labor Day is celebrated the first Monday in September and is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. 
It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in
New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. 
The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, 
on September 5, 1883.

In 1884, President Grover Cleveland declared  the first Monday in September a national holiday.   That day was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a  "working man's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the 
growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.