It's not about who is right or wrong. It's about an unconditional drive to help the other's dreams come to life. That's love. It's selfless. It's unwavering. It's precious. It's hard to find. When you do find it? You hang on for dear life against all the odds.
And ideally, you share your story for the hopeless romantics to swoon over.
This is one of those rare stories that deserves a good SHARE. Let this be an inspiration to us all to love with everything we have... and then some.
This is Yasuko and Toshiyuki Kuroki. They've been married for over 60 years now.
Their life has been full of love, but like any couple, they've suffered some hard times, too.
Thirty years into their marriage, Yasuko's health took a serious turn: Her diabetes created complications that stripped her of her eyesight. It was only a week in between noticing the vision loss and losing it altogether.
Nothing was the same for these dairy farmers. They'd already had what most would call a difficult life: caring for a herd of 60 cows, raising two children, laboring away day in and day out...
They had plans to retire and travel Japan together. But now? Their dream seemed impossible. Yasuko began to retreat from the world altogether.
With every passing day, Toshiyuki watched his wife sink further and further in depression's dark web.
He knew he had to do something to revive her — bring her back to a place of happiness and hope.
But he wasn't sure what to do. Even with love on your side, it's no easy feat, you know.
Then, one day, Toshiyuki noticed someone taking a look at their small garden, which was full in bloom with pink shibazakura flowers, or moss phlox.
Just like that, he had his idea.
His idea? Bring his wife's dream home.
If they couldn't see their country together, he'd do his very best to bring the country — and more — to her.
He started planting what's now the most romantic garden in the world. It surrounds their home in Shintomi Town with thousands of pops of pink.
They're breathtakingly beautiful blooms.
The task took everything he had, but love was on the line. And so he abandoned the dairy farm in pursuit of painting their gardens in pink and attracting visitors.
He thought the visitors could help his wife feel less lonely and shut away from the world.
He spent two full years setting this scene: creating the foundation, chopping trees, and caring for the plants too.
This is gorgeous!
Toshiyuki spent another eight years transforming this space into what you see here. What everyone's still wondering, though, is this: Did his plan work?
With more than 7,000 yearly visitors, you bet it did! The blooms span from March to April, but the happiness they bring lasts all year.
People from all over the world flock to this garden to hear the love story that inspired it.
Both husband and wife walk the fields, smelling the flowers and greeting visitors.
They absolutely love it.
They've since transformed an old cow shed into a visitor center where people can sit with Yasuko on a regular basis.
It's really helped to bring her back.
Here's the happy couple today:
Their love truly inspires us all.
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