I got reunited with my lover after 40 years

This is not just a story but it is rather a story about how love can transcend time and space and can endure, despite everything faith throws at it. I am Ben and I am a 68 years old gay living in the States. I was born here and I have been raised in a homophobic family for most of my life, until I have reached 24. It was at that time when I decided that I should take my life into my own hands and tell them about my sexual orientation. I knew what the general reaction would be, because both my mother and my father were completely against homosexuality and they would have never suspected this about me.

So it wasn’t much of a surprise when we got into a huge fight and I was thrown out of the house. Fortunately, I had foreseen that and I had already rented an apartment for myself in another town. I managed to find a job pretty easily and, despite keeping contact with my mother from once in a while, my father was determined to break all connections with me. He considered that I had stained his name and that I wasn’t worthy of being called his successor. Yes, it was painful, but it was also the first time that I felt free and relieved of getting the chance to live my life the way I wanted.

It was in my mid 20s that I got to meet Mathew, a 22 year old guy that I desperately fell in love with. It was pure love at first sight and the amazing thing was that he felt the same way about me. Our love story lasted for about 2 months, 2 of the most beautiful months of my life. That was the first time when I was experiencing true love and I could understand the implications of the body and soul commitment to your partner who you share your world with.

That was also the first time I had to experience a painful breakup, but not because there was something with our feelings, but because he had to return to his country. He was originally from Yemen and, despite being born in the US, his father was a Yemenite and he had been living there ever since he was born. We promised to each other to meet again as soon as possible and that was the last time I saw him.

40 years passed and I have never heard anything from him during this time. But I could never forget him. He was still in my heart and I never stopped thinking about him. He was my first and only love, because I have been unable of falling in love again after he left me.

Then 6 months ago a miracle happened when an old man knocked at my door. At first I didn’t recognize him, but something made my blood rush faster in my veins. There was something about him that seemed warm and familiar. And when he smiled it all came back to me. Mathew, the love of my life had returned. We hugged each other and stood like that for 5 minutes, heart to heart unable to think or breathe. In those moments I knew he still loved me, I could feel it.

One month later we got married and we are as happy as we ever thought we would be. He told me that he had problems in his country when he ended up in jail because of his sexual orientation.

Nothing really matters now. He is the one I love and I always will until the day I die. Love is the most powerful force of nature I have ever witnessed.