From Where I Sit...

19 Years, For Better Or Worse

I first met my wife in 1983. It was during Muscular Dystrophy Summer Camp orientation. I still remember the first words she ever spoke to me.

"Are you Mark Ploch?"

Ploch was my nickname, short for Plocharczyk.

And the seed of our friendship was planted on that day. If somebody had told me that seven years later we would be getting married I would have laughed. But, love works in wonderful ways.

We didn't even start dating until two years after that initial meeting. I got to know my future wife better while, ironically, trying to gather information about another woman. This other woman, who I'll call Trish Lecki, was my first love, mine not hers. Trish and I "dated" sporadically over two years. Then, without cause or reason, Trish vanished from my life.

I'm one of those types that needs to know why things happen. So, in my quest for closure with Trish Lecki, I began to write letters (for the kids reading, a letter is a piece of paper with words written on it) to Donna at school. Donna knew Trish so I just thought she might have some inside information for me.

What was really happening, though, was I was meeting and getting to know Donna. We became fast friends over the next year. So fast I even asked her if she would like to date. You know what she said?

"No, lets stay friends."

And we did, thank God. We stayed close friends.

After being jilted, again, I decide I was going to STOP chasing after girls and asking them to date. Having girls for friends was very rewarding to me because I loved all my friends. No pressures.

Funny thing about life. When you're not looking for someone, they will find you.

My friend Donna actually took the step to tell me she had feelings for me and wanted to date.

We have been together ever since. We dated for two years before getting engaged and were engaged two years before getting married 19 years ago.

I have been in love for 23 years with my wife. Our marriage has been wonderful. We have had tremendous ups and tremendous downs. But, as cliche as it sounds, love carries you along both the good and the bad. We invited God to join us on this trip and, at times, he helped make the difference.

The last six years we've also had our Jimmy with us to complete our family. Adding children just adds more love to the equation. Which, in turn, just makes life better.

Marriage in today's society gets banged around a lot. Many want to protect it and/or redefine what it means. Some use it as a publicity event. Well, here is my opinion as to what marriage is.

Marriage is love, pure and simple love.

I love you Donna, for better or worse, 'til death do us part.