GARDEN BLOGGERS' MUSE DAY -NOV. 1

Forty six years ago - A young gal from rural Alabama and a foreign student from South Korea tied the knot. Guess I was a rebel way back then even because marriage to someone from a different race wasn't widely accepted, South or North.

But here we are today, 46 years later , 3 wonderful children and a first grandchild. We are truly blessed to have surmounted all the trials and tribulations that life has given us. Coming from totally different backgrounds and circumstances I would dare say that it was at least 2 or 3 times harder to overcome the obstacles of marriage that people from similar backgrounds encounter.

I think the thing that helped me the most was becoming acquainted with the Korean culture whereby I gained an appreciation and understanding of my husband. I became a rather well-known figure in the Korean community in Chicago because my husband brought his mother from Korea and she lived in our home for 10 years. Even modern day Korean daughters-in-law could not have endured living with their Mothers-in-law. So I became a sort of legend in the community. My children and I were the beneficiaries, however, because our " halmoni ", grandmother in Korean, was a wonderful, loving person that taught us a lot. I'm so glad that my children had beautiful memories of her since my own mother passed when I was four.

Forty six years and I still feel as if it were yesterday. The years have flown by so quickly and are so full of wonderful memories. We live each day as if it could be our last because we've seen many friends and acquaintances leave unexpectedly.

In this here today gone tomorrow world we look back and see the two young people we were taking a chance on life and we've never regretted it.