On Valentine’s Day, I’m thinking about my husband Jeff and how much I love him. We are living proof that love stories do come true. Here is our story.
Yes, I was always one of those girls that watched love stories, hoping that some day it would be me. I would daydream about just how I wanted it to be. My love story didn’t turn out anything like I had always imagined it, but ended up so much better. Real love is so much more beautiful than the kind you see in movies. Real love may not be glamorous, but it is deep and lasting.
I moved to Oregon in January 2005. I didn’t really have any idea what I was doing, but my heart kept pulling me towards Oregon, so I followed it. I started out in Portland- this is when I discovered that I wasn’t a city girl. I knew I wanted to leave Portland, but I didn’t know where yet. I started dating a guy who brought me down to meet his friend Jeff.
I immediately loved Jeff. He literally seemed to radiate light. He was so energetic and bursting with enthusiasm. I had never met anyone like him before. Laughter rippled out of him and he seemed to be dancing everywhere instead of walking.
Jeff was having a drum circle at his home in the woods that night. I was too intimidated to drum so I sat doodling on a piece of paper which always made me feel more comfortable. My boyfriend at the time was busy hitting on all the other girls at the party. I was talking with Jeff. He would say things and I would think “how does he know that?!” It’s like he knew me to my deepest core and I felt I knew him too. Our connection was immediate. We decided to be pen pals. I returned to Portland.
We wrote a lot of letters to each other. We both wrote and wrote and wrote. I guess we had a lot to say. I felt like I had found my long lost best friend. At the time, I was moving out of my apartment in Portland, I was going to move in with that same boyfriend (I wasn’t very observant those days, apparently.) He backed out at the last minute. I didn’t have an apartment. Where was I going to live?
I rode down with my Aunt to check out the college in Eugene. I tried to feel enthusiastic about it, but I didn’t. College was not calling to me, but I wasn’t sure what was. I called Jeff because I knew he lived outside of Eugene and asked him if he would like to meet me in Eugene for the day and hang out.
He happily came to meet me. We laughed and we talked and we talked and we talked. He said “Why don’t you stay with me for a little while until you figure out where you’re going to live?” My life wasn’t making much sense to me at the time. The only thing that made sense to me was being around Jeff. I felt like I could finally breathe when I was around him. I could relax. I felt like he was the only person in the world who didn’t have overwhelming, heavy expectations of who they wanted me to be (that may not be true, but it’s how I felt.) I felt like he was bringing a side of me out that I really needed to see. I felt like he wanted me to be myself and I wanted to know who exactly that was.
So I said yes. For a few days that is. I figured I’d stay for a few days and then decide my next move. We drove to his house in his camper- that was filled with wild swinging windchimes that would sing every time he turned a corner or we went over a bump. All I had was a backpack with some clothes and a journal for writing down my dreams every morning. I slept on the couch. Jeff and I were so busy talking all the time that he slept on the other couch in the living room. We would talk late into the night until we both fell asleep. We were completely inseparable. This went on for a long time. (We didn’t shut up for a long time.)
I planned on staying for a few days and ended up never leaving. Our friendship and connection seemed to deepen by the day. I loved being in the country. I loved it so much. Yep, I finally discovered I was a country girl. I loved the trees covered in moss and the opportunity to sit quietly outside and think. I felt like I had true space for the first time in my life. Space to be myself. Space to be silent. Space to let peace permeate every cell in my being. A retreat. I felt like I was in a cacoon and was slowly healing a deep wound that I had no idea where it came from. I connected with Joy in a way I had never experienced before. Jeff brought so many new things into my life. We danced and sang together. Our lifes weaving together moment to moment.
We began pouring our energy into fixing this place up. It was a pig-sty when I first came here. (That’s a really really nice way of putting it.) I am a Virgo, I like to have things clean, organized and neat. The extreme mess was not easy for me to live with. We slowly, but surely started transforming it into our idea of paradise.
We were friends for a very long time. But we loved each other from the moment we saw each other. We had a big age difference so we didn’t even consider being together. ……But eventually we had to admit to ourselves that we were in love with each other. Okay, we love each other (duh.) The hard part for me, was to tell this to my family. See, Jeff and I have over a 30 year age difference. I was very afraid of what my family would think.
I told them. They got used to the idea eventually. It was hard at first. Jeff and I were sensitive in the beginning, some people in the world said mean things and I was afraid of dirty looks in town. It seems so silly now. Every little thing people said or did hurt my feelings so much.
But a lot has changed since then. Now we are used to people thinking that Jeff is my father or even possibly my grandfather and it no longer upsets us. It just makes us laugh and we crack jokes about it. And my family met him, fell in love with him too (how could you not?) and completely adore him now.
It’s now February 2010. I moved in with him around April 2005. We’ve had almost 5 years of bliss together. And we were “officially” married July 11, 2008 under our favorite Cedar tree.
Sure, we might disagree on things from time to time, but we communicate and work it out. We know if the other person is grouchy to give them space. And we know laughter is the key in every home. We’ve created our dreams with teamwork, every step of the way. We respect, support and love each other.
When I met Jeff, a loneliness I’d always carried, just melted away. We peer into each other’s eyes and know the soul we are looking at with the deepest recognition. This is our love story.
Happy Valentine’s Day Jeff, I love you with all of my heart.
… while reading, I got goosebumps …
Thanx for sharing your story and for that wonderful craft/art-work you and your husband are creating. Your son looks so adorable and has so clear crystal-like eyes, yumyum! Can’t wait to read more aventures!
greetings from that grey and cold Germany
love, mel
What a beautiful story! I agree that real love is deep and everlasting. My husband and I are 24 years apart and have three beautiful girls together. Glad to have found your blog today! 🙂
Hello, Taryn! I found your blog through April, at April’s Homemaking:http://www.aprilshomemaking.com/
and I found this post, the post about your love story, and it really touched me! I am going to be moving to Florida in about a year and a half, I going to college there. I like the older guys… because guys my age aren’t the best and I want to be with a respectful man. I am 16, and hope that my future love story will be as inspiring as yours! Thank you for posting that. It is a very beautiful love story!
If you’d like to view my blog,
here is the link: http://barefootinbluejeans-courtyb.blogspot.com/
I can’t wait to read more of your blog, and by the way, I find you very interesting! 🙂 You have the lifestyle that I kind of want to live, in the country and in quiet. It sounds beautiful! Thank you for posting!
what a lovely story! And, not only are we both Taryn’s in Oregon, but we are both Virgos too! My birthday is 8-27!
What an amazing love story. You both are so fortunate to have met your other halves. I just stumbled upon your blog and I look forward to getting to know you and hearing more about your wonderful mountain homestead. Blessings!
Your story really warmed my heart 🙂
You make a beautiful couple.
So glad you followed your soul and found one another.
What a beautiful love story, I was deeply touched by it, I came on over to your blog via Lauren’s interview of you. I’m loving and respecting your whole way of life, thanks for the inspiration.
I always think it is so beautiful when a blogpost you write touches so many people! Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. In the end, it’s all just love, isn’t it? You’re clearly so joyful together!
Isn’t it amazing that I happen to stumble upon this post so close to Valentine… be it 2012? What a story! Now I know why there is light and warmth coming out from you! Love from Norway!
What a beautiful love story. Earnie (Rick & I) met at market and our dear friend Karen (who has passed over) used to come over to our booth from hers and would ask me again and again if ours was a “true market romance”. Earnie & I, Ellie (aka Heather) have a 17 year age difference, but it has never seemed to matter. Love sees no age. Thank you for sharing your love with everyone!
This is a beautiful story, thank you for sharing. I am so happy you found each other, you were ment to be.
I am in Portland right now having the same feelings you did. I KNOW I am not a city girl and the only reason I am still here is because I am afraid of losing my friends here and being isolated. But in my heart I know I need to get out of the city and heal my spirit. Your story has inspired me. Thank you so much!
What a lovely story! Thank you for sharing it. I’m heartglad you and Jeff found each other.
My husband is 9 years younger than I; we’ll be married 17 years on Monday.
Blessings!
Thank you so much for sharing this story. There are 17 years between my adorable Big Bear and I (he was one of my University professors!) and Im so happy there are other stories like mine!
Ciao from Italy!
I am 17 years older than my husband and my daughter is 28 years younger than her husband. So we have it both ways in our family. My son in law is actually 6 months older than me. But it works. Age should not be a factor in any relationship.
I am so not a city girl. But I am living 10 minutes outside of New York City. I so hate it here.
Kathi
What a wonderful romance! I love happy endings. I am the older one in my marriage. My husband is 22 years younger than I am. We have been together 10 years and married for 7. Love is grand and knows no age boundaries!
This is wonderful…I so wanted to know your story before I found this! Your love and joy shines out and spreads to all around you….we need more of that in our world :~)
I am six and a half years older than my husband and we were friends for 9 years before we got together. My father tried to separate us even though I was 31!! Nearly 19 years later, we have a gorgeous and loved 17 year old son and adore each other more than ever. Life is good :~)
What a beautiful story. I’m thrilled that you shared this, as my own partner is 29 yrs older than me! We have 2 children, and despite our age difference we have so much in common, and he’s just as solid as a rock, (which I think comes from being older). Congratulations on the beginning of your family…I’m so glad to have found your beautiful blog!
xo maureen
I LOVE your love story. It brought tears to my eyes, it’s so beautiful. Thank you for posting these words from your heart.
This is so sweet… 🙂 I’m so glad you found each other, and that you trusted your intuition to follow your path to him… So beautiful…
True love!!! 🙂 Thank you!
Tani-
I am so glad you enjoyed it. I loved hearing about your story. So happy you found each other.
And how much happier we all are when we are ourselves and stop caring what others think of us, huh? 🙂
Keep cherishing each other. 🙂
Lots of Love, Taryn
Just found your blog by a trail through others that I read daily. What a lovely story! I could write a lot of the same about my husband and me but we’re reversed from you; I am 20 years older than him. He is the epitome of “love”. Every fiber of his being is love and I’m so blessed to have him in my life. I, unfortunately, let other’s opinion’s of our relationship ruin too many of my days. It’s hard when a cute, young waitress thinks I’m his mother and flirts shamelessly with him right in front of me, you know? After reading your story I’m going to work harder on not letting it bother me. Thank you!
Abby- I used to feel guilty about talking about how happy I was with Jeff. So funny how we don’t want to “offend” others with our happiness. I absolutely love it when I hear other people speak of having loving, joyful relationships as well. Love is truly the best thing in the world. 🙂 So happy to hear about your beautiful connection.
Thank you for telling me the story of meeting us. You seemed so familiar to me, I felt like I had met you before. When I told Jeff about your blog and how much I loved it, he said “hey- I know her, she used to work at Salmonberry’s!”
Maybe our paths will cross once again and we can “meet” in person once again. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this. It makes me so happy! I could relate to some of things you expressed, in my own relationship… we are happy in a way that years ago, I had begun to wonder was possible in partnership, yet always thought for sure had to be! Life before us and life with us… indeed like to 2 different lifetimes. To be able to come into your own being with another is such a profound gift. I am so happy you 2 found each other.
I met you and Jeff at Salmonberry probably about 5 years ago (I worked there for years). I swear, my memory of the 2 of you is total BLISS. You guys were in such a state of blissful happiness. I remember your radiant expression and the sparkle in your eye, and Jeff’s smile and buoyancy. Jan introduced us briefly, but the moment of experiencing you both was somehow lasting. Like time stood still. I’m not sure if you remember that meeting (it was brief and you 2 were in bliss together! 🙂 but hearing your story somehow makes it all make sense.
Thanks Carlanda. I have lots of books inside of me slowly coming out and forming. And it would be so fun to turn this blog into a book. One step at a time they are forming, with the help of the constant support of all you awesome peeps! 🙂
i will be the first in line when you write your first book! you could turn your blog into a great book. hmmmm……. lots of love your way!
That makes me so happy Lara! 🙂
When I read “Thank you for sharing your amazing life through your writing” I thought- I think the exact same thing about you!! 🙂
Your love story brightened my whole day! Thank you for sharing your amazing life through your writing.
Thanks so much everyone! I am so glad you all enjoyed reading it! Writing this blog brings me so much Joy and when you all leave your sweet comments it expands that Joy by a bazillion! So thanks again all of you~
What a great love story 🙂
loved your story. i wanted to know, but didn’t feel i should ask! so thank you for sharing. lee and i have a 15 year age difference and have been together for almost 32 years. love, c
That is a beautiful story – thank you for sharing it! My husband is 19 years my senior and we live in the conservative southeast and we get strange looks too! But we laugh about it as well! I love both of your blogs, artwork, and lifestyle! Much love, – Tweedles (Jamilyn)