Signed, Sealed and Delivered.




We signed up for this wondrous world journey nearly three years ago.  Our love has been sealed even tighter through our amazing adventures we have shared during these past five months.  And we will soon be delivered home...

Our voyage has traversed more than 36,000 nautical miles, 5 continents and 125 countries.  After 130 blogs, 10 pounds and 146 days wondering where I am in this world, I will be ready to sit on our back porch and listen to Kyle David Watts' song, In My Backyard.

First of all, I want to thank you for reading my blog.  It meant a great deal to me to know that I have had readers share our sojourn and inspired me to keep spending time in quiet contemplation and reflection (and looking for just the right travel quotes and love songs).  Thank you for your comments which were important to me and made the blog more interesting.  I hope you enjoyed it!  I sure did!

Our family has been mentioned and anyone who has followed knows we love and cherish them more than life, itself.  

Our friends, as James McMurtry wrote, "Not so skinny, maybe not so free, not so many as we used to be"- thank you for being our friends.

Liz, Annette, Matt and Tawan took care of our cat, Chef, and our house.  Thank you

Away In Wonder voyage would not have occurred without our travel consultant, Richard Turen.  Thank you, Richard.

Most of all, this has been a wondrous journey of discovery in sights, sounds, tastes, smells and feelings but also in our souls.  We have more and better understanding of the world and of ourselves.  Our love has grown even after 51 years of marriage.  

Our 50th wedding anniversary was celebrated with a special trip including our entire family and a second honeymoon just for the two of us. 


 I celebrated the entire year of 2023 by sharing frequently with both friends and acquaintances the news and joy of our 50 years of marriage.  Inspiration for lovers was a primary basis for my proclamation, to let those who  heard me know that it is possible for couples to stay married for fifty years.  Frequently, I was asked, "What's the secret?"  Of course, there is no "secret".  However, I often paraphrased an Al Green song, "Through the Good, the Bad, the Happy and Sad".  I also quoted from Long Line of Love by Michael Martin Murphy,  "When the times get hard, we don't give up.  Forever's in my heart and in my blood".  When one of us was down, our other picked us up.  When one was weak, the other was strong.

There is a secret - for me.  Love is life's greatest gift and can sustain only on a solid foundation of truth.  Furthermore, we have continually renewed our love almost daily through love songs.  I often sing along to love songs in the kitchen as we prepare a meal and I dance with Ruth Ann, and by myself (Ruth Ann is making sure nothing burns) to more up tempo songs.  In fact, I have pretty much lived my life as one...long...love... song.   

This song, sung by Kenny Rogers was released in 1981 and I dedicate it to my wife and all of you who have loved your partner "Through the Years".

I can't remember when you weren't thereWhen I didn't care for anyone but youAnd I swear, we've been through everything there isCan't imagine anything we've missedCan't imagine anything the two of us can't do
Through the years, you've never let me downYou turned my life around, the sweetest days I've foundI've found with you through the yearsI've never been afraid, I've loved the life we've madeAnd I'm so glad I've stayed right here with youThrough the years
I can't remember what I used to doWho I trusted, who I listened to beforeI swear, you've taught me everything I knowCan't imagine needing someone soThrough the years it seems to meI need you more and more
Through the years, through all the good and badI knew how much we had, I've always been so gladTo be with you through the yearsIt's better every day, you've kissed my tears awayAs long as it's okay, I'll stay with youThrough the years
Through the years, when everything went wrongTogether we were strong, I know that I belongedRight here with you, through the yearsI've never had a doubt, we'd always work things outI've learned what life's about by loving youThrough the years
Through the yearsYou've never let me doubt...
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Martin Panzer / Stephen Hartley Dorff

Comments

  1. plattsflyingdogsJune 2, 2025 at 11:27 AM

    ❤️❤️❤️❤️

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill & DebraJune 3, 2025 at 6:59 PM

      Thank you for the opportunity to "tag along" as you traveled the world. What an amazing experience that you will treasure forever.

      Delete
  2. Jeanne LudwigJune 3, 2025 at 3:44 AM

    Welcome home! I'll miss reading your blog each morning!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Randy and Ruth AnnJune 3, 2025 at 5:55 AM

      Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed sharing our sojourn.

      Delete
  3. Kris T.June 4, 2025 at 9:49 AM

    That makes for your perfect wedding dance song....19 years ago or so.... WELCOME BACK TO THE U.S.A.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Randy and Ruth AnnJune 4, 2025 at 10:05 AM

      We remember it well and it was an honor for you to ask us to dance to this song on our wedding anniversary and the day of your wedding, Kris and Tom.

      Delete

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