Some thirty-six years ago, before our kids were ever born, in celebration of our approaching third wedding anniversary, my wife and I went on a date night to see the original Top Gun movie, starring Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer. These days, our children are all grown up and married with kids of their own. But tonight, in celebration of another approaching wedding anniversary (this time our thirty-ninth), I took her out on another date night. And together we took in another movie - you guessed it, the new Top Gun sequel, once again starring Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer.
I enjoyed the first movie very much. I will now have to say that I enjoyed the second installment even more. The plot was fairly credible, the acting was decent, and the flight scenes were over the top, far surpassing those of the original movie. Add to that the fact that there was very little profanity and zero gratuitous sex scenes, and one can see why I found the second movie even more enjoyable than the first.
True, Tom Cruise is no spring chicken! Nor is Val Kilmer. No amount of make-up will hide receding hairlines, age-related wrinkles, or changes in body structure. And yet, while they are nowhere as nimble as they once were, they are still active enough at their age; enough so that their respective performances were quite believable for the rolls they played.
And of course, they are not alone. All of us, including my wife and I, have aged considerably since 1986. Many moons and many miles have taken their toll on us as well. In spite of this, I am just as much in love with her now as I was back in the day; and few things are as enjoyable as a night out with her, my beautiful wife.
Wise old King Solomon once wrote the following in the Old Testament Book of Proverbs (chapter 18, verse 22): “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” I am living proof that this Bible verse is true!
I found the woman who was to become my wife forty-six years ago this summer in that most “target rich” of environments - a tenth grade Sunday School class. I took one look at her and decided: “So, you’re the one!”, and immediately decided to act, lest I “lose her forever”!
So I said “Excuse me, Miss...”, and asked her out. She promptly replied: “No. I don't date students.” But I persisted and told her: “You can run, kid, but you can’t hide!”, and assured her that “if others trusted me, maybe she could”. Long story short - I kept after her; and seven years later, I eventually “hooked her”. She finally stopped running, said “Give me a call. I’ll fly with you!”, and agreed to meet me at the altar of that same church.
Needless to say, I was thrilled, knowing full well that there would have been “no points for second place” had she chosen anyone else over me! As a result, we have now enjoyed one long “walk in the park” together - one in which I have been blessed beyond measure!
At times, we have felt “the need, the need for speed”, and our journey together has been as fast and furious as two F-14s in a dog fight. At other times, it has been as slow as the same two jets taxying to their hangers. At times, we have soared high together in accomplishment, “going Mach Two with our hair on fire”! At other times, we have fallen well “below the hard deck” in bitter defeat.
But through it all, we have stayed together, we have stayed on course, and we have never yet “crashed and burned”. We have even scored a victory or two together along the way.
Admittedly, these days, neither of us are spring chickens. Let’s just say that my own “ego is writing checks that my body cannot cash!” But after all this time, I still find her beautiful. She is the love of my life; and I look forward to the rest of a long, long flight together. I’ll gladly “be her wingman anytime” and forever!
In turn, I can only hope she never gets to the point that she decides she “has had enough fun for one day”, discovers that “she's lost that loving feeling” for me, and “bugs out”! I freely admit that “I'm lucky to be here!” But for now, at least, I'll “call the ball” and say that “it's looking pretty good so far”!
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/proverbs/18.htm.
TOP GUN MOVIE QUOTES:
https://screenrant.com/top-gun-best-quotes/;
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/05/15/30-best-quotes-top-gun-its-30th-anniversary/84317882/.
I enjoyed the first movie very much. I will now have to say that I enjoyed the second installment even more. The plot was fairly credible, the acting was decent, and the flight scenes were over the top, far surpassing those of the original movie. Add to that the fact that there was very little profanity and zero gratuitous sex scenes, and one can see why I found the second movie even more enjoyable than the first.
True, Tom Cruise is no spring chicken! Nor is Val Kilmer. No amount of make-up will hide receding hairlines, age-related wrinkles, or changes in body structure. And yet, while they are nowhere as nimble as they once were, they are still active enough at their age; enough so that their respective performances were quite believable for the rolls they played.
And of course, they are not alone. All of us, including my wife and I, have aged considerably since 1986. Many moons and many miles have taken their toll on us as well. In spite of this, I am just as much in love with her now as I was back in the day; and few things are as enjoyable as a night out with her, my beautiful wife.
Wise old King Solomon once wrote the following in the Old Testament Book of Proverbs (chapter 18, verse 22): “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” I am living proof that this Bible verse is true!
I found the woman who was to become my wife forty-six years ago this summer in that most “target rich” of environments - a tenth grade Sunday School class. I took one look at her and decided: “So, you’re the one!”, and immediately decided to act, lest I “lose her forever”!
So I said “Excuse me, Miss...”, and asked her out. She promptly replied: “No. I don't date students.” But I persisted and told her: “You can run, kid, but you can’t hide!”, and assured her that “if others trusted me, maybe she could”. Long story short - I kept after her; and seven years later, I eventually “hooked her”. She finally stopped running, said “Give me a call. I’ll fly with you!”, and agreed to meet me at the altar of that same church.
Needless to say, I was thrilled, knowing full well that there would have been “no points for second place” had she chosen anyone else over me! As a result, we have now enjoyed one long “walk in the park” together - one in which I have been blessed beyond measure!
At times, we have felt “the need, the need for speed”, and our journey together has been as fast and furious as two F-14s in a dog fight. At other times, it has been as slow as the same two jets taxying to their hangers. At times, we have soared high together in accomplishment, “going Mach Two with our hair on fire”! At other times, we have fallen well “below the hard deck” in bitter defeat.
But through it all, we have stayed together, we have stayed on course, and we have never yet “crashed and burned”. We have even scored a victory or two together along the way.
Admittedly, these days, neither of us are spring chickens. Let’s just say that my own “ego is writing checks that my body cannot cash!” But after all this time, I still find her beautiful. She is the love of my life; and I look forward to the rest of a long, long flight together. I’ll gladly “be her wingman anytime” and forever!
In turn, I can only hope she never gets to the point that she decides she “has had enough fun for one day”, discovers that “she's lost that loving feeling” for me, and “bugs out”! I freely admit that “I'm lucky to be here!” But for now, at least, I'll “call the ball” and say that “it's looking pretty good so far”!
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/proverbs/18.htm.
TOP GUN MOVIE QUOTES:
https://screenrant.com/top-gun-best-quotes/;
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/05/15/30-best-quotes-top-gun-its-30th-anniversary/84317882/.