Danny & I met at the University of Ky., the summer of 1968.  He was beginning med. school and I was going to school and working part time at the medical center.  In the mornings before work, my boss and I had coffee in the cafeteria.  I never noticed Danny, but he said he saw me and wanted to meet me.

My dorm was next to the med. center, and the students parked in a lot outside the dorm.  One rainy day after work, I was walking back to my dorm and Danny ran up to me and asked if he could share my “umbrellar” to walk to his car.  I thought maybe he had a speech defect.  I couldn’t understand much of what he said in his strong Brooklyn accent, and he had a difficult time with my (then) strong southern twang.  There was a lot of “What did you say?”  What I did understand was “steak dinner”.

I think he was nervous on our first date.  He opened the car door for me, then turned and tripped on the curb.  He was so nice, but our worlds were far apart.  At UK we listened and danced to Motown and the Beatles.  He was into Dylan and the Doors.  I’d not heard of either.  I found Danny to be intrigueing and so different from others I had dated.  We continued to see each other, but he did have one rule.  Friday nights were for studying.  So we spent those evenings in our separate cubicles in the basement of the med. center.  Most Saturdays and Sundays we had fun with other medical students.

I began to realize we were more alike than different, and in love.  I was impatient and wanted to know if he planned on marrying me.  He said, “Of course, but I first need to graduate”.  I told my mother and father-strict Christians-that I had fallen in love with someone who is Jewish.  After meeting him they said, “It doesn’t matter.  He is a good person.  That what’s most important.”

Danny proposed to me on Valentine’s Day.  We were married in the backyard of my family home on June 13, 1971, a year before Danny’s graduation.  And here we are after 40 years of a wonderful adventure together.

Words of wisdom for a successful relationship:

-It’s not all about me

-Respect each other’s strengths, weaknesses, ideas, workload and idiosyncrasies

-Don’t solve a problem by yourself

-Communication and openess

-Being part of family and their experience and wisdom

-Maintain a sense of humor, and make each other laugh

-Hugs and kisses every day!