The First Kiss

This morning when I was reading the paper I noticed an article about students writing about their parents for a history project. This is to be a picture of a diverse community in San Diego. One of the questions that the students were to ask their parents was about their first kiss. This gave me an idea for this blog post.

Paul and I were almost 20 and 17 years old when we began our courtship. We had known each other almost a year at that time. That is quite a while in the life of teenagers. We had some of the same friends and were both in the Methodist Youth Fellowship by the time we started dating steadily. Paul can tell you the exact day we started going together.

For several months it was just a time for holding hands and getting to know each other better. He may have been brave and put his arm around me after a month or so. But it was a few months before the first kiss. We both wanted this but were slow to make the first move.

One evening on my front porch, which was right next to my parent's bedroom, the time had come for the kiss. Paul's idea of a kiss must have been right from the movies with all the drama. The guy leans forward with the girl leaning back in his embrace. You have seen this picture in old movies when it goes so smoothly. Paul was so brave and I really wanted this kiss.

We were too close to the wall in the enclosed porch next to my parent's bedroom. The next thing you heard were voices from my parent's room saying, "What's going on out there?" We had leaned back too far and bumped into the wall which was not part of Paul's plan that evening. At least we got that first kiss. After that we became expert kissers.

He went for the drama in our wedding kiss too. The results were a little better that time, except for the chuckles from our friends and family.

Fifty-six years later we have these special moments to remember.  :)