December 1963

Joyce and I met in June 1963 and have been together ever since. This song December 1963 by Four Seasons came out in 1974 but it has always expressed my feelings when I met her. It and the Dixie Cups song Going to the Chapel have expressed my life with her. The “Going to the Chapel” song was popular in 1964 when we married. My father did not care for it because he thought I was too young to marry, but he was a little bit wrong. I have both songs on my computer and listen to them on a regular basis. They take me back to one of the best times in my life that was situated in the midst of a very tough time in my life. I thought I had life by the tail, thought I knew everything but actually knew next to nothing.

1963 was the year when I crossed over from being a child to being a young adult. September of 63 was my first time being away from home and family; I went to boot camp and began to learn about life in the real world. December 63 I went to naval air technical training and a whole new experience began. January 64 I got married and then a whole new life began. I knew one thing at that time; I knew I did not want to be my dad, going to the same old job every day for the rest of my life. The next ten years in the navy offered many new experiences, not all fun, but always different and a lot of excitement or perhaps tension. After the navy, I eventually did end up like my dad, working year after year at the same job, being faithful and reliable on the job.

Joyce and I have had a great life together and now in retirement a whole lot of together. I wouldn’t trade a moment for any other life. It’s been fun and at this point even the rocky roads we traveled down don’t seem as bad as when we were experiencing them.