My grandfather, Howard Gatley, was in the first Boy Scout troop in Washington DC around 1910-ish. He continued in scouting as a Scoutmaster/Camp Director in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In 1930 he started the first mobile medical rescue squad along with his co-chief, Arnold Bailey.

My 18-year-old son's girlfriend is the great-granddaughter of Arnold Bailey. Both of their great-grandparents were not only friends, but saved many lives together. They trained state police, volunteer firefighters, and sheriffs how to rescue folks before there were EMT's or paramedics. The odds of this are off the charts. There is 80 years between them, as well as thousands of miles and high schools as distant as Wisconsin and Portland, Oregon.

Scientifically...maybe we are genetically predisposed to be attracted to familiar pheromonal scents or genetic features that are inherited memories from our ancestors.

Spiritually...they may be reincarnates of that area and generation, and have life lessons that need to be worked out. Maybe they have important things to contribute to society.

Romantically...we'll call it fate...they were meant to be together.

Theresa Gatley

Posted Dec. 8th, 2009