IT'S A LOVE STORY
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Matters of the Heart By Kristi Antley
here is no magic recipe for success when it comes to romance. Even when you think you have found “your person”, longevity and bliss aren’t promised. While we all have basic needs such as affection, security, companionship, and acceptance, how those needs are recognized, met, and maintained can vary from individual to individual. Although there are no easy solutions, genies in a bottle, or guarantees in the realm of love, studies prove that the most solid relationships are built primarily on friendship, mutual respect, patience, and open communication. These components must be evident along with daily, intentional effort from both parties to sustain a healthy, permanent relationship. Friendship came first for Lexington’s lifelong sweethearts, Linda and Steve Cruea. Originally from Wisconsin, Linda’s family relocated several times until they settled in Ohio. On a warm, sunny day in 1953, fate allowed Linda and Steve’s paths to cross on a train at the Cincinnati Zoo. Linda’s recollection of that
22 January/February 2024
day is a little fuzzy as she was only 5 years old, but she says the connection with Steve (and his family) was instant. “We were only a few months apart in age, we had a lot in common with each other, and we became close friends almost immediately.” The youngsters had no idea that they would be “thick as thieves” throughout their adolescent years, all the way into adulthood. As the years passed, Steve and Linda became romantically attracted to each other at the beginning of their junior year of high school. It is often true that opposites attract--Linda was academic, shy, structured, and responsible by nature; Steve was more social, flexible, charismatic, and spontaneous. Linda remarks, “I remember sitting at a table with my girlfriends after a football game when Steve walked up and began talking. As I listened to him, it was a defining moment in my mind--he was a man that I wanted to get to know much better.” They began dating exclusively during their senior year, attending the prom and many other fun outings and activities together. “Our families
