In cleaning out some drawers recently, I found a faded red Valentine's Card from 30 years ago. Malcolm was spending a month in New York City as a fellow at the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University, diving into educational leadership. At the same time, I stayed back in Bath, working full time at Hyde and taking care of our three children, ages 5, 3, and 1. Needless to say, it was one of those times in a marriage where one spouse earns many "credits" on the scorecard to support their partner's development. While this time was not without its tough moments, Malcolm ventured into the city, found a Valentine's Day card, and wrote a brief but sweet message about how much he appreciated my support. At the time, I tucked the card away, as it was one of the first times I saw this sentimental side of my partner.
Needless to say, Malcolm more than settled those credits when I proposed the idea of traveling to Hyde Woodstock to take on a leadership challenge and be a part of that great team of educators. While I truly thought I would be there for only a few years, we spent seven years apart. During these years, we saw each other on the weekends, and Malcolm was the primary parent to our son Harrison while the girls were boarding on the Bath campus. We both knew he took the brunt of those tough moments, but he also wanted to support my dream and my professional development.
As I now witness my Valentine facing a challenge with bladder cancer, I am often reminded that one of the best decisions I ever made was to ask him out on a date. (He turned me down twice but eventually came around.) We have faced much together in our 45 years of marriage and have come through it all wiser, tougher, and more humble. Thank you for being my Valentine and I love you very much.
Laura D. Gauld '76