Around The Next Corner

We were young, with our whole lives ahead of us. In the process of planning our wedding, we had big dreams of the future.

Santa Paula, the  little town we lived in, was having a holiday celebration. All the downtown shops displayed historical photos in addition to their Christmas decorations. The Secret Keeper and I were looking at a very old photo of the little red school house that sits just outside of town. In front were about 20 students, girls in pinafores and big bows, boys in knickers and caps. As we gazed, a tiny woman, elegantly dressed with pearls and stunning white hair, walked up with an equally small gent. Clearly, they had both welcomed their 90th decade. I looked over with a smile and she gave me a radiant smile back. Then, using her tremulous finger, she pointed to one of the smaller children in the photo and said, “That is me there and that is Henry”, glancing over to her fragile companion. She went on to explain to us how they had each gone their separate ways, raised their families and only reconnected very recently. They had just been married.

We chatted for a few minutes and then they shuffled on their merry way to enjoy the rest of the displays and the music.

Isn’t it wonderful to meet people, at just the right time, just the right place and they reach into your heart and tug? And I am reminded that they had no idea what life had in store, and even though there were some twists and turns, they seemed so happy.

The Little Red School House, founded in 1879, still being used as a K-6 school,  has about 60 students. It still rings the same morning bell it did 100 years ago.