We walked along he beach at the end of the world, holding hands for the last time. Not knowing what to expect I remember picturing this day for years the hot sand between my toes walking with my head down feeling the wind blow in my hair. We spent our last day togther on this beach me and my husband James of twenty five years. I always told him I wanted to spend a day with him on this beach from sunrise to sunset but he worked so hard, well with us having five children and struggling to maintain I did not complain or nag.

Raising our children was my job I was the best at my job they reminded me of this everyday, they appreciated and loved me. I watched them grow as my husband was out of town working he had a well paid job so that I wouldn't have to work. When we met before the children and the marriage I was making more than him I knew how to stand on my own two feet I was independent. Maybe that threatened him I don't think it sat easy with him. He would always say "Baby one day you won't have to work anymore, you will live off of me I will make everything comfortable for you."

He told me those words and I paid them little to no mind I remembered what my mother taught me, that no one take what you know from you if you teach it to yourself. If you go get it for yourself you would never have to wait for it to come to you. Hard work and dedication is all you need and the drive to really want to do it anything is possible. My husband tripled his yearly salay and made me quit my job and I went against everything I ever knew this was something I would have to adjust to. I've been working from the age of thirteen; twenty-seven was never my ideal retirement age. The first three years of my new lifestyle were amazing we were the couple everyone wanted to be.

We took trips around the world to places I've only dreamt of, before my husband came along it was always just a dream he made all of them come true. We lived a lavish life then we started our family and my husband was never home anymore he was always out working. I never questioned his laste night shifts because I loved and trusted my husband. He would still take trips but alone without me and without the children, he left me in this big house all alone just me and the children. The man of the house was my oldest son he watched over my daughters and I he protected us while my husband was away working. Work seemed like a vacation to my husband he would be anxious to leave and so sad when he returned I would ask him who was he so happy to see at work he would go around the question.

As my children got older and moved out one by one my husband cut back on his working to spend time with his wife. I told my husband I wanted to go away far away I was tired of this big quite house. I asked him could he take me to the beach he refused. A week later I passed away I went to sleep one night and God called me home, he took me on a vacation far away from that big quite house. The next day my husband spent his whole day at the beach sunrise to sunset and my spirit was with him. Holding his hand the whole day wiping his tears and listening to him say how sorry he was and he expressed his love for me. He also spoke on why he was so happy to go to "work" everyday he left me. At the end of the night he watched the waves and screamed my name out. He stood up and began to walk and I joined him. We walked along the beach at the end of the world, holding hands for the last time.