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Our Love is Rock Solid

Love is a rock.

Love is never EVER forgetting, it transcends time! It bridges generations. It is translated into every language. It was present in the cave man era; it will present as long as mankind exists.

My greatest valentine is rock solid.

It is over a billion years old. It ventured from Lake Superior during the Ice Age and is in my possession today. It is created from “Mother Nature.” It is a priceless relic and the only one of its kind.

It is, scientifically, a piece of agitate with a heart-shaped mineral called epidote in its vein.

I have a love with my wife that is for the ages — a treasure many hope for and may never obtain. My valentine only weighs about a pound. I would not sell it for anything under a million dollars.

I carry it in my pocket everyday. It verifies to me the love that my wife, Bridget, and I share and pass down to our daughter is as genuine, unique and real, as humanly possible!

Incidentally my wife has multiple sclerosis, diagnosed 24 years ago, just after we married. Our daughter was adopted in China at age 11 months, weighing 10 pounds. Me, I survived a death sentence from lymphoma.

My “valentine” was plucked from the depths of Lake Michigan seven years ago near the Illinois/Wisconsin border.

For an unknown reason, I reached into the water and pulled up this rock. It looked like any other rock and I was just about to cast it back. Instead, I turned it over and low and behold — a heart shape was ingrained inside the stone.

I always thought it was algae embedded in the rock. I tried to grind it down with tools and never made a dent. I thought it might be a few hundred years old.

Just recently, I contacted a highly distinguished professor from a Michigan university and he studied it and concluded its age and origin.

To him as a scientist, initially he thought it makes a terrific paperweight. After I informed him of the struggles, hardships and complete joy (roller-coaster ride) our lives have taken, he changed his tune a bit and agreed I am some lucky man. What do you think?

Care to offer me a million dollars for my best valentine ... I think you'll kNOw my answer.

— Randy Gollay, Buffalo Grove

Submitted by Randy Gollay