Could I have this dance?

For the last 12 years, my readers have come to expect a schmaltzy column in February, the anniversary month of our wedding. I don’t want to disappoint anyone, but I also want to give you a warning … you are entering the love story of Chuck and Janet.

In January 2014, Chuck and I walked into the Hamilton County Judicial Center to apply for our marriage license. Chuck was 74, and I was 58.

I wondered why you needed a license to get married. Of course, I asked Google.

A marriage license confirms that a person is legally eligible to marry, verifying that they are not already married to anyone else, are not closely related, and meet the age requirements. We checked all the boxes.

Our ages should tell the powers-that-be we knew what we were doing. Chuck was happily married for 51 years before his wife, Nancy, passed away from cancer. I was married for 24 years, 11 months, and five days before I signed the “he doesn’t love you anymore” papers. I had been single for 14 years.

Then-Hamilton County Clerk Tammy Baitz issues Janet and Chuck their marriage license in January 2014. (Photo provided)

We both had broken hearts. Then our hearts met.

Love feels different at 58 and 74. Love should be a soft place to fall, a place of trust and security. We seem to have a deeper understanding of what love truly is because of our past relationships. We appreciate the tenderness of a love where patience is paramount. If history has taught us anything, it is to love well and to live in the moment.

We danced … and I knew. I wanted Chuck to be my partner every night. It felt right, and I wanted to dance with him for the rest of my life. Those moments were magical. He was all I would ever need. Oh, Anne Murray, you sang it well.

I had waited 14 years. He was the man God knew I needed. He always smiles when I tell him he was and is the answer to my prayers, actually above and beyond.

God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams. Ephesians 3:20-21, The Message Bible

God gave me that promise long before I met Chuck.

Most mornings, we can be found at our kitchen table. We sit catty-corner from each other, sipping our coffee. I’m usually on my second cup because I rise early to have my devotions and write. If I’m not going anywhere that day, I change into my writing pajamas, which are a bit dressier than the ones I sleep in.

Chuck reads The Indianapolis Star and does the crossword puzzle. He amazes me with his word knowledge. I amaze him with my Janetisms. A Janetism is a phrase or word not found in a dictionary. Some of them I inherited from my mother. Audreyisms are fascinating words that make total sense … when explained.

Chuck has always seemed to enjoy my cooking, which is mostly Southern comfort food. He refuses to try my chocolate gravy over biscuits. My new book, coming soon, will include the recipe, along with a few others.

We make each other laugh. Like the time I found out he rearranges the dishwasher after I load it. Sometimes, I might refold the towels and his whites after he folds them. He notices, and then we laugh.

On occasion, I make “suggestions” about his driving. It’s more like a sound or a way of trying to press the invisible brake on my side of the car. I know how much he “appreciates” my help. You know I wrote that with a bit of sarcasm. I say to Chuck as I put my hand on his, “I’m just trying to be a blessing.” He says, “Oh, I’m blessed, alright.” And we laugh. Then he sings, “Count Your Blessings.”

There is no one else I would rather have in my life to drive me crazy. There is no one else I would rather have sitting catty-corner to me at the kitchen table. And … there is no one else I’d rather dance with for the rest of my life.

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Have you ever written down your love story to share with your children and grandchildren?

Do you have a song that reminds you of how much you love/loved someone?

Have you ever been a “blessing” to your husband while he was driving?

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The new book will have questions at the end of each chapter for book clubs or small group discussions. Stay tuned.

Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). She is the recipient of the Reporter’s Spring 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. Visit janethartleonard.com.