A LETTER TO MY WIFE

By Evelio Perez

  Some people can search a lifetime and never find the person they want to spend the rest of their lives with, but sweetheart, I am happy to tell you that I am not one of those people. We were meant to meet and we were supposed to be together.

  It was destiny that on that hot summer day in 1975 in “El Farito” (a beach in Miami, Florida) that we would meet......... and to think that I almost didn't go to the beach that morning. I had hardly slept the night before, I was tired, sleepy and determined not to go, but for some strange reason, my friends convinced me to go that morning.

 There I was lying next to a palm tree playing with a twig wondering what the heck I was doing there........ but then all of a sudden, unexpectedly, you walked into my life. You were with your friends and I was with mine. We joked around, played some football (I definitely had my eye on you) and had a wonderful time. Hoping to continue our new found friendship, we all decided to meet in the youth fair later that night completing what I thought was a great day that I almost did not have. 

 Who would have thought that that pretty, skinny girl that I just met would one day become my wife....... I couldn't put my finger on it but something inside of me was telling me that you could be the one.

Jr. Prom / 1976

 We went out a few times, (with chaperons of course) I even took you to your Junior Prom! But, it just was not going to happen..... Maybe it was the 5 year difference in our age, my long hair or because I was in a rock band. To my disappointment we went our separate ways. But even though we parted, I somehow knew that one day I would see you again, for you left your print in a small piece of my heart that was always going to stay there.

 We both met other people, we both got married and you even had a child. It was time to move on, but............ for many reasons, my marriage did not work out and got a divorce in 1980.

 Somehow destiny was not to be denied and by the biggest coincidences I have a blind date and it turned out that she was one of your best friends. All I could think or talk about during our date was you, she told me that you were happily married and had a beautiful baby boy. I was happy for you but unhappy for me, I started thinking that now for sure that we would never be together again........ but destiny persisted, your friend was supposed to go out with me on a blind date and she was supposed to tell you about it.

 You started having problems with your marriage and for many reasons you got divorced and became single again. Remembering that your friend talked to you about our date and of how much I talked about you, you called my house and left a message with my father that Vivian had called.

I started getting excited and hoped that the Vivian that called was that pretty, skinny girl that I had met on the beach seven years ago.

 It was destiny, you had to call and I had to wait by the phone hoping that every-time the phone rang that it was you.....We'll, you did call and the rest is history, we got married a year later and you allowed me the privilege of raising your wonderful son as my own. Then you gave me the greatest gift of all, the little girl that I have always dreamed of having.

 You stayed with me for 37 days and nights in the hospital when I had my episode with cancer and showed me how loving and loyal you really were, and for that I will forever be grateful.

 We raised two wonderful kids to be outstanding people with outstanding character. Together we taught them about morals, values, respect, and honor, and then they honored us by being great people with outstanding qualities. One of my proudest moments of my life is watching both kids become college graduates...nice job, Mom!

 I lost my father in 1995 and my brother in 2003 and in both of those horrible moments of my life you were there for me to care and comfort me, your love and guidance was what I needed to ease the torture that I felt inside........................ Thank you, sweetheart.

 One of the worst moments of my life was when they found a cancerous tumor in your brain, my world around me was ripped apart and I thought that I was going to lose you to this deadly disease. I was desperate and depressed and I thought my heart was going to explode. Your family, friends and neighbors were totally devastated and in shock thinking that this could be the end for you.

 But God had a different plan for you, destiny was not to be denied. I found Jesus and Jesus found me, he gave me hope where there was none and the knowledge that with Christ anything was possible. Yes, with much love and prayers from all your friends and family, a wonderful group of doctors and your enormous will to live, you beat this horrible cancer.

 Destiny was not to be denied, you were supposed to meet me in 1975, marry me in 1984 and be together like little old people holding hands in our golden age.

I know in my heart that after we leave this earth that somehow I will find you in heaven, you are my soul mate and the love of my life, and God knows that if I found you in “El Farito", I could find you anywhere.

I love you with all my heart. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart .

Eternally yours, 

Evelio