Love has a very special place in this world but, despite this place, it is still hard to love someone without having people make judgments around the relationship. When 19-year-old Samantha Simpson married a 62-year-old man, some harsh opinions did come her way and they still do and so, she decided to speak up.
Falling in love with JR who is 62 years old happened very organically to Samantha after their first meeting. Samantha was 18 at the time when she started talking to JR and developed feelings for him all because he was such a kind man and talked to her in a very polite way.
Things were serious between them after a few months but, the challenges had just begun. Her parents were not supportive of her relationship with JR due to the age difference between the two. This led her to take a big step and move out of her parent’s home.
It is definitely not easy for a teenager to live independently away from the family!
Samantha prepared herself for the struggles and was happy because she was with someone she loved deeply. Her first step was shifting in an apartment which was located in Berryville, Arkansas, USA. JR started living with her in that apartment after a few days.
When they felt sorted and sure about their relationship, it was time for them to move into their new joint home in Wichita, Kansas and enter into a new phase together. After their engagement, they planned a wedding and the ceremony took place on January 8, 2018. For them, the age gap had no significance, in fact, they believed that’s what brought them closer!
However, the world around them was not on the same page as them on this whole situation. Samantha received a lot of “weird” comments and looks when she was out with her husband. People stared at them with judgments filled in their eyes. The words like ‘child snatcher’ and ‘pedophile’ were common to hear for JR when he was seen hanging out with Samantha.
The rude opinions and abuses kept flowing in from all around. Samantha expressed what they went through daily by saying, “When we are out in public, we have strangers mistaking us for grandad and granddaughter all of the time and it can really upset me.”
People don’t mind couples expressing love in public when they kiss or hold hands, but, Samantha and JR were the targets of all the abuses when they did those “normal” things. Samantha had enough of this discrimination and hence, decided to speak up against this.
She would love if people just understand that their love is no different and it does not deserve all those unpleasant stares and comments. They are leading a happy married life and wouldn’t change a thing about it!
The next step in their journey is having kids and raising them together. JR does have a child from his past relationship but, he wants to have a family with Samantha. They are trying to have a baby and excited to move ahead on this beautiful road!
Samantha wishes to have a smooth experience and hopes that people would make no further judgments and stop with the abuse after they have a baby. People just need to be a little more kind towards others.
