This column is called “Short Stuff” for a couple of reasons.

One is because I am short. The other is too long a story; I’ll tell it another time maybe.

But my stature, along with my husband’s certainly came in to play Sunday, Valentine’s Day. We signed up a few weeks ago to renew our vows at the Love in the Hills event, sponsored by Sami Fine Jewelry.

We have been married 36 years, so we thought it would be a good idea to sign up for another 36.

It was a lovely event. The Rev. Larry James did a great service, very moving and appropriate for people renewing their marriage promises. I got very teary thinking about our 36 years. These have been good years.

After the actual ceremony, Stephenie Bjorkman of Sami’s started giving away stuff. David and I went over and had our picture taken, and then came back to watch the festivities.

Stephenie had little contests to give away prizes. She asked who had been married at the Fountain. We raised our hands, as did eight or so other couples. I hoped she would ask who had been married the longest who had married at the park. Nope. She decided to bring the group on stage and have a kissing contest. As in who could sustain the longest kiss. In front of God and everybody.

David was reluctant. I wanted the prize: an overnight stay at CopperWynd. David finally relented.

Here’s the thing: I am five feet tall. David is six feet tall. At home, our living room is sunken. When we kiss, I stand on the high side, David on the low.

When we kiss on flat ground, neither of us is comfortable. The height difference means I have to stand on tiptoe with my neck at a 90 degree angle. David has to bend way over to reach my lips. That is fine for a little peck.

I am pretty sure we were up there about an hour. Along with everybody else. Nobody was giving up.

Stephenie decided to make it more interesting and had everybody take a step back and not touch except for lips. That didn’t deter anybody. We were all in it for the long haul. That is a good prize.

So she decided everyone had to stand on one leg and continue kissing. We met our waterloo. In a flash, our kiss was over, and we headed off the stage, followed pretty immediately by everybody else. One couple lasted the longest, so they won the prize.

That was fine. I was a little astonished I would stand before a crowd of hundreds and kiss my husband for as long as it took to win a stay at CopperWynd. And then not win.

And if that wasn’t a big enough bummer, my neck was killing me the next day. Well, as they say, “the things you do for love.” And it was a lovely kiss besides.