The Great Love of My Life

This Svejda girl is so delectable!
by Charlie Leck

I believe I was 8 years old when I fell madly in love with her. She was a mere child of 6 years and I had no business feeling such affection for one so young; but, had it been you, and had you the opportunity, as did I, to look into her eyes and watch that magical smile spread across her face, you, too, would have fallen madly in love with her.

What can I say? Until I married Anne, I never felt such an attachment – no love had ever been stronger!

She came often to visit us – out in the countryside – from the big city of New York! We were just wee ones, so we were put to bed together and I found it difficult to sleep because I wanted to hear her talk on and on about her life in the big city.

I cannot paint a picture that would do her beauty justice – no description typed out here could make you understand how beautiful she was and still is. I care for her so much that I would have done anything to spend every day, for the rest of my life, in her presence.

She is here now – in this year of 2008 – and she slumbers at the moment like Sleepy Beauty herself in our little guest cottage. At 65 she is a beautiful now as that little, cute, wondrous girl was at 6. Her smile is still radiant. Her eyes glow with excitement and anticipation. Her mind swirls into thousands of possibilities.

I love her as madly now as I did then – when I did not understand the complexities of love and… and… and… all the rest!

I am so excited that she is here – in my town – on my farm – in my home – slumbering in our little tree-house accommodation.

She is my cousin. My mother and her father were siblings. Her dad died within hours of her birth. Her mom was heartbroken and devastated. My cousin spent a considerable amount of time with us, as her mother gathered herself and grew steady again.

So, we occasionally shared a room. We giggled and chatted into the night. I fell asleep beside her and awoke with her breathing softly next to me. We were wee ones; yet, I felt the excitement of slumbering beside one whom one loved so much.

As she drifted into sleep, I kept whispering to her.

"I love you," I said, again and again.

Two years younger, she was so much more mature than I.

"Yes," she said, "I love you, too. Now go to sleep!"

Now, she sleeps here. A husband lies beside her. He whispers to her that he loves her madly.

"Yes," she says, "I love you, too. Now go to sleep."

She lives in Paris now and has since before she reached legal adulthood. She's raised a large number of children – mostly boys – and they are each and all lovely creatures and intensely intelligent and kind. She owns a translation service. Her husband is an artist and artisan craftsman. We'll get to spend a couple of precious days together, looking at this place to which I have devoted my love and faithfulness – touring the countryside and visiting Minneapolis.

Most days are very good. I expect the next two to be spectacular.