Tuesday was May the Fourth, a day that holds special significance for me, and not just because I am a Star Wars nerd.

Eight years ago, as I was processing (very poorly) the dissolution of my marriage of nearly 20 years and feeling particularly morose and introspective, I watched a movie I expected to be sad, so I could wallow in my misery.

It was, and I did.

I posted a quote from the movie on my social media, and one of the people who commented was an old friend of mine from whom I had not heard in a long time.

We had met in 1989, a full year prior to when I met the woman who became my first wife, and we were instant friends.

We could sit and talk for hours about anything and nothing, and just enjoy each other’s company.

I lost track of her after that year of college, but now here she was commenting on my post — we shared a mutual friend online.

I don’t remember exactly how it happened, but we exchanged phone numbers and began to talk again, falling easily back into the rhythms of conversations with a longtime friend.

A year-and-a-half later, we were married to one another, combining our five children into a large family that each person took to immediately.

I cannot adequately say how much this woman has meant to me in the years since, but I can say how grateful I am to her for all she has done to bring stability, focus and so much more into my heart and mind.

And I can thank God for all He has done in bringing us together and working in our relationship.

So May 4 is special to me primarily because it was the day Donna and I reconnected our friendship and took what turned out to be the first steps of a new life together.

For my fellow Star Wars fans, you’ll understand that when she reads this and smiles her glowing smile, she’ll turn to me and say, “I love you.”

And I, in true galactic fashion, will respond, “I know.”

Brett Campbell can be reached at brett.campbell@dailyleader.com.