A NIGHT AT HEROES COFFEE IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI


There are moments in life we all experience in which we know will change our life forever. Some are obvious from the onset like reading an acceptance letter to a school you’ve worked so hard to apply for or walking into work on your first day at your dream job. Others can be much more subtle like a kind word from a new friend or simply making eye contact with someone across a crowded room. Nonetheless these are the types of moments we come back to in life over and over again to ground ourselves. These are moments that define us and shape who we are.


Marriages don’t just start with “I do.” They are not founded on signing a license or built on an event, but rather marriages are planted in shared moments where two people choose to look beyond life as individuals. They are cultivated in quiet private moments of selflessness and rooted in a trust much deeper than words could ever express. These are the moments we live for. These are the moments that sustain legacies.


Illuminated neon signage for Heroes Coffee displayed on a rustic brick wall at night.
A series of black chalkboard menus mounted on a wall display handwritten text in white chalk.
A dark, moody hallway with brick walls and industrial lighting displays multiple framed artworks in a gallery setting.

I could never forget the moment I met Melly. On a fall night back in college I was singing requests at a coffee shop in downtown Springfield pursuing a music career hoping that it would be the night I finally got noticed and things would take off. Little did I know someone had already noticed me and things were about to take off in a completely new and better direction.


It was a room packed wall to wall me and a couple buddies arrived to set up the pa. Typically it was a pretty small venue, but that night so many people had gathered because a local guy who had been on American idol was playing the feature after me. Feeling the anticipation I took the set, tuned my guitar, and began to sing. Then in a moment my whole world changed.



People enjoying drinks and conversation at a rustic brick-walled bar with warm lighting and cozy ambiance.

As I looked across the room I saw a face. At first it was difficult to make out with glow of the lights and passing people but it was the smile that drew me in for a closer look. She had such an effortless joy in her smile. There was something pure about it that I had never seen before. I kept looking up half focusing on my music and half enthralled by the hope of catching a clear view of this beautiful girl across the room, but every time I glanced she had a giant Nikon camera pressed against her forehead taking a photo of me! Its as if she playing hide and seek taunting me to come find her! Song after song, I continued to look her way with no success until finally the camera was down. Maybe the card was full or the battery ran out, I simply didn’t care. In that moment all I could see was her beauty. It was stunning, breathtaking, and immeasurable. As we locked eyes for the first time I realized my life would never be the same. That was the moment that would begin a legacy.

Two friends smile and pose together in a series of black and white photo booth style snapshots.
Bright white stage lights shine through darkness creating a dramatic atmospheric effect during a performance.