Bruce Hedgepeth, MD
In July, my wife Debbie and I celebrated 32 years of marriage. It has been a great union of two people and a great journey that we have been on. We have thoroughly enjoyed each other and all those who have poured their friendship and love into us along the way.
Our journey began in 1979 when we met as freshmen in college in Klamath Falls, Oregon. We were married four years later and continued our journey together in Phoenix, Arizona where we lived as a married couple for 3 years. A move to Tucson, Arizona then ensued for a four year stopover there. Good thing it was a dry heat in Arizona, otherwise it would have been a tad bit uncomfortable, right? We came to love both of those places for different reasons. Phoenix was more bustling and action oriented, and Tucson was more casual and laid back in its vibe. In retrospect, I should have used more sunscreen while in Arizona. Oh well, at least it now gives me a soapbox on which to stand. SPF rules!
The trail then led to Springfield, Illinois and the Land of Lincoln; as in Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. There is a lot of history about him there and it is also his final resting place. We visited his memorial several times and it is solemn and moving. We took Debbie’s grandmother once and she was moved to tears. Our time spent there was for four years. Our first child was born there so it holds a special place for us.
We then headed to Durham, North Carolina for one year and thoroughly enjoyed that as it was rich in southern accents, culture, sites, and it introduced us to beautiful beaches and warm ocean water. That 86 degree Atlantic Ocean with its warm Gulf Stream was quite different from our beloved but chilly 50-55 degree water on our home beaches of Oregon and the Pacific Ocean. We lived smack-dab between bitter rivals Duke University and University of North Carolina, which are only 15 miles apart. Deb ate broiled crawfish for her birthday dinner while living there. Bold and daring move for sure for someone who is more comfortable living between the lines.
Our latest move then was to the Springfield, Missouri area 20 years ago. We have been here ever since and it has been terrific. It’s a great place to live, a great place to be from, and a great place to return to after going other places. Our second child was born here so it also has an extra measure of wonderful memories.
So this rambling narrative could go a lot of different ways from this point on, right? What got me thinking and ruminating on this journey with my wife who is also my best friend is the fact that it is also her birthday on the day that I am writing this. While I can’t reveal her exact age, I can reveal that she will be the same age as me for the next several months, and then I will take the lead again.
Adding fuel to my rumination and thinking about her and us together as a married couple was a picture that her mom posted on Facebook from 1985. The picture from 30 years ago made me laugh because I remember where it was taken and under what circumstances. It’s included for your viewing pleasure and as is usually the case, there’s a story behind it. Without going into too much detail, let’s just say Debbie has always had to battle seasickness while fishing in the ocean. My youngest daughter responded with a Facebook comment as only kids can with something like “whoa mom your hair! Haha.”
See for yourself. That was definitely the big hair era. It was the style for sure and Debbie was stylin’. There was also the blue eye shadow to go with the big hair in those days, but that’s a different topic. Someday we’ll all look back on these current times and styles and laugh too. For some styles, we already do (pants on the ground, low cut pants and superior gluteal folds, etc.).
So to my wife of over 32 years, I say: Happy birthday to you. I look forward to many more memories, birthdays and anniversaries; and you look marvelous!
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