I lost my first boyfriend because of the Vietnam War.

He committed suicide rather than go to Canada, but that was a complete shock.

If I had five more minutes, I would have been either more insistent on learning his true plans, or I would have held him, told him for only the second time that I loved him, and said goodbye, something we did not do at the time.

It haunts me still, even after 40-plus years.

Editor’s Note: Deborah is the owner of Donaldson Media & Marketing Service in Wisconsin.