Not so long ago, before the era of texts and FaceTimes, couples stitched distance together with thoughtfully written letters that carried stories, secrets, and most importantly, love. These letters allowed couples the time and space to grow intentionally together, even though they were miles, or sometimes oceans apart. This was the case for Monark Grove Retirement Community couple Ed and JJ, who after nearly sixty years of marriage still credit their relationship to a foundation of love and selflessness, and a proposal written in a love letter that sealed their fate forever.
It was 1964 and Ed had been drafted and stationed in Korea. A lover of the arts and literature, he found himself at an art exhibit at city hall admiring the work of Joung Ja Choi. That serendipitous evening turned into nearly a year of adventure and love as JJ showed him the world through her eyes. They went boating and fishing and hiking, and he fell in love with her spirit as she was exceptionally selfless and attentive to his needs, unlike anyone he had ever met.
Ed's tour came to an end and while he had to say goodbye to JJ, he reminisced on his time in Korea with her and they kept in touch through letters. "I couldn't stop thinking about her, no other girl was like her," recalls Ed. So in 1965 he wrote in a letter to ask her to marry him.
My dearest love,
Thursday July 7, 1965
I am now in America and I am now a civilian, but although I am home I am very sad and my heart is very heavy since I had to leave you at the train station. I love you my darling and I miss you very much and I am dreaming only of the day when I can bring you to me, make you my wife, and to make together a home for both of us.
I don’t know when I will be able to bring you to me, my darling, but that is the one thing I want more than anything else in the world. I love you my sweet. I love you, I adore you, you are wanted. The only thing I think about is you my darling and the wonderful nine months we had together and the lifetime we will have together in America. Darling I love you, please always love me and wait for me. I very much love you and I always will.
I will write again tomorrow.
With all my love,
Edward
In January 1966 he returned to Pusan, Korea where he married JJ, and their life has been one big adventure since. After 60 years of marriage, Ed's advice is to marry someone smarter than you and everything else will fall into place.