Take a Chance on Romance!

Recently Anne Mulder, one-half of one of the couples in my book "50 Ways to Find Romance after 50" was in the news. Anne is now the interim president of Grand Rapids Community College. She is being paid over $600 a day plus a monthly allowance of $500 for a car and $2,000 for other expenses. She's always been successful and continues to be so.

I've known Anne for many years and she is an outstanding person. Her marriage to Tony reads like something out of a romance novel. In 1995 Anne, then a retired president of Lake Michigan College in Michigan, went on vacation with longtime friend, Vernis, to the Greek island of Mykonos. She met Tony in his jewelry shop there and was intrigued.

She and Vernis stayed on the island for a few more days and she enjoyed a light flirtation with this handsome man. "It was so unlike me, but I decided to have an adventure," Anne said. She invited him to the United States for Christmas.

Eventually they married in 1999 and decided to live in Florida where Anne owned a condo. She enjoyed her retirement but later accepted a two-year commitment to be Dean of the School of Education at Grand Valley State University. Her friends loved having her back and we'd see them occasionally at a party or dinner. Then she went back into retirement which of course only lasted a couple of years.

For the details of this fairy tale romance you'll have to read my book. You can leave your request with the comments, have it ordered by your local book store, or visit my website: www.romanceafter50.com. (It sells for under $20 and would make a great gift!) Incidentally not only did Anne take a chance on following her heart when she met Tony, she also is a great example of an older woman with a somewhat younger man. Hoo-ray!

I am constantly meeting couples who have taken a chance in the second half of the lives to find happiness. One couple dated in high school and the story of how they reunited is another fantastic tale. Another couple met when volunteering with the local theatre group.

If you haven't found a new romance in your own environment, maybe you need to venture into another pasture. What's the interest of your heart? Go, explore, enjoy. You might meet someone with whom to share your passion.

If you have recently met someone or you know of someone who has, let me know. I'd like to share the story with the other bloggers. Happy hunting! Gloria