Nini taught me not to be afraid to love. I was in three bad relationships before we met and was very hurt. She taught me that it was ok to be myself no matter what. We put the world aside for Us and to be who we were and did not care what others thought. There were no rules in our world and we just enjoyed our precious times together. We laughed, we were happy, we went places and done things that I had not done in 30 years. She was my first true love and we excepted each other just as we were faults and all.

The beautiful trips to Florida, The Florida Caverns, the beautiful drives along the the Florida Coast, the trips to Dale County Lake cleaning up all the beer bottles on a beautiful sunny day in a boat. The digging of sand in Webb, Alabama in the country and making sand candles. So many memories. I shared my classic rock music with her, taught her about the hippie movement. Out of that a dream was born a
tie-dye store at Sadies Flea Market. She became my hippie chick, and my tie-dyed bride. She made sure I had everything I needed and gave herself completely to me and I to her. It was a beautiful fairytale and I have no regrets.

Most couples spend years together and never get to where we were in the short time we knew each other and I would not trade that for anything. I found a side of her that no one ever saw or knew. She and I were like two little kids dancing and enjoying life like there was no tomorrow. The joy she brought me with her smile and laughter, yes she even taught me it was ok to laugh. She was truly a unique lady.

Although I did not fully understand that she had a progressive heart problem, we were in love and love was blind meaning that she just wanted to do everything she had never done before, have fun and not get so caught up in life. I consider it a pleasure to have given her all thoses beautiful times together and our marriage sealed the bond. We lived her bucket list, and now as I look back, I would have not wanted it any other way.  I love you Nini and always will. 

Nini was diagnosed with heart problems in 2008. She made a decision in Jan 2010 that she did not have to confide everything on her mind to me; as this would be putting on me burdens which she chose to carry herself. 

When a bride insists on telling her lover everything, I suspect she is looking for a father, not a husband. Some of her life was hers and to be known to her alone. I thought it was denial that caused her not to get help and perhaps part of it was but she made the choice to carry the burdens of her heart disease alone. 
Her decision was no different than someone dying from cancer and not wanting chemo, radiation or surgery. 

After she was diagnosed with heart disease, she wanted to make up for lost time and do all the things she always wanted to do. Falling in love with me was the best thing that ever happened to her and now I understand and respect her decision because the love we had for each other takes some people a lifetime to achieve and we did that in 2 wonderful years together and I would not trade that for anything.

 Nini will always be part of me and go with me wherever I go. We loved each other despite our faults, flaws, and failures, and that was good. I am a new and different person now with a purpose in life because of her, and I am now freed by her acceptance and her love for me.