#love
A TOAST
It was their 50th wedding anniversary
A truly memorable milepost
when, near the end of the evening,
the husband stood up to deliver a toast…
I was recently asked when was the first time I fell in love with my wife, he began
and I have to admit…that’s difficult to say…
the answer’s not as simple as you might expect
as there are many first times…every day
The first time I see her in the morning,
The first time she utters my name
The first time I see her smile
I always feel the same.
I don’t understand how it happens
but from the first time that we met
and every first time after
It’s a feeling I’ll never forget.
The first time we touch, the first kiss of the day
The first time she looks into my eyes
The first time she speaks, the first time she sings
The first time she laughs…or she cries.
Love is a magical feeling
It is subjective and difficult to explain
but I feel it every first time I see her
In my heart,
In my soul
In my brain.
I’m sure I loved her from the first time we met…he said raising his glass
by the way my legs went numb
so here’s to that very first time
and all the first times to come
FOREVER HOLDING HANDS
There I was at work surrounded by a thousand stories of drama, love and surprise
when one of the greatest love stories I could imagine unfolded before my eyes:
They came into the bookstore…a couple old and grand
wearing smiles across their faces…walking hand in hand.
I noticed as they walked the store…their gait was deliberate and slow
and they continued holding each other’s hands…never letting go.
They came in to browse, get out of the heat…look for a story or two
Before they left they stopped to talk to me…as customers often do.
It was at this moment when we spoke that I quickly came to know
why he held her hand so tight…why he would not let her go.
As he and I talked about the store…(he mentioned it’s a beautiful place)
she held his hand, stared at me…and the smile never left her face.
When she did enter our conversation…gesturing with her other hand
she laughed and giggled and mumbled…but she was hard to understand.
I imagine it was Alzheimers…that was interfering with her style
but it hadn’t yet stolen her desire…or her ability to smile.
I conversed with her as best I could…not understanding most of what she said
which meant a lot of looking into her eyes, smiling and nodding my head.
Before they left…her husband shook my hand and thanked me joyously
“For giving her the same attention,” he said, “that you have given me.”
She waved as they were leaving…her other hand he never dropped
and as they left the store I heard him say…”We’re heading to the ice cream shop.”
She seemed to quiver with excitement…the excitement of a child
then gave one last glance in my direction, waved again…and smiled.
I wonder how much longer they have together…
before Alzheimers makes it’s final stand…
But I like to think whatever happens…
they’ll be forever holding hands…
MORE THAN A BROWNIE
A funny thing happened…it made our hearts skip
as we sat and reviewed pictures from our latest camping trip.
We smiled at each nature picture remembering how we communed
but when one particular photo popped up…the two of us immediately swooned….
It wasn’t the photo of the sun peeking through the trees
or that little deer print we found in the dirt?
No…the one photo that elicited the biggest response
was that brownie we had for dessert.
To be fair that brownie was warm and chewy and delicious
It’s the best one we’ve ever had….north or south
You could smell the warmth of the chocolate as you raised up your fork
and it, literally, melted right in your mouth.
And I wondered what would create such a reaction?
Why would this one brownie cause such a fuss?
Could it be when it came to our latest adventure…
it was more than a brownie to us.
We ate that brownie together…
though at the moment it went undeclared
Perhaps seeing it later symbolized in our hearts
everything about our trip that we shared.
In that brownie was a taste of the sunrise, the feel of the water so wet,
a hint of the deer peeking out of the grass, a mouthful of a lovely sunset…
That brownie was proof that what the ancients say is true
and not merely an illusion…or myth
That all things in life are more beautiful
when you have someone to share them all with…
Perhaps you are thinking I’ve lost my mind
that attaching so much emotion to a desert is bad form…
Sure, it’s possible a desert is just a desert…
but…did I mention
that brownie…was warm.
STILL HOLDING HANDS
“Why are you always holding Grandma’s hand?” she asked.
Grandpa smiled…as was his way.
“The reason we hold hands,” he answered
“goes back to that first day.”
“That first day she told me she loved me…
‘Hold my hand’ is all I could think to say
because I knew if she wasn’t holding my hand
I would have easily floated away.”
“But you’ve been married 40 years!” the young boy said.
“I guess I don’t understand.
Why, after all this time…
Why do you still hold her hand?
Grandpa looked across the room at Grandma
the wrinkles in his face turned red…
then he smiled…as was his way
“Same reason.” was all he said.
MAGIC
The young boy said, “I don’t believe in magic…
I’ve never felt the thrill.”
The old man smiled as he squeezed his wife’s hand…
“One day, son, you will.”
GRANDPA'S CHAIR
GRANDPA’S CHAIR
One day as we visited Grandpa and saw him sitting there
we thought it was probably the right time to buy him a new chair.
He’s sat in that one forever…when he moves around…it creaks
the cushions are uneven…and one arm rest is weak.
The stitching barely holds together…not much if it remains
and where Grandpa loves to lay his head…is permanently stained.
It’s time for a new one, we all thought, and we were so excited
knowing Grandpa was going to love it…knowing he would be delighted.
But it didn’t go quite as we expected…I guess our thinking was a little out of whack
because when he presented it to Grandpa…he said, “Thanks…but take it back.”
Then Grandpa smiled at the lot of us…and after letting out a sigh
sat back in his old chair and explained his reasons why.
This is the chair I was sitting in when you all first came to visit me.
This is where I held each one of you…where I bounced you on my knee.
This is where we watched TV together…where I put you on my lap
where after a day of playing whatever game you wanted…we’d sit down and take a nap.
This is where I’ve sat each Christmas watching the magic taking place
From here I’ve watched you all grow up…with a smile on my face
From here I’ve smiled at your grandma…and wondered how she found a way
as we have both grown older…to look more beautiful every day…
Grandpa went on for a long time…(as Grandpa often would)
and well before he finished…we all understood.
So the next day we sat his new chair by the road with gentleness and care…
FREE, the note read,
with one condition…
it must become a Grandpa chair.
HOW COULD HE HAVE KNOWN
While writing the story of his life
when he reached the part where his heart needed mending
how could he have ever known
she would come along
and write his happy ending.
That she would create his joy
his comfort
would compose his music
and his laughter
and the rest of the story would write itself
as
happily ever after.
WITH COLOR...OVERNIGHT
He once lived an uninspired life
his palette a muted black and white….
until she came and filled his world
with color…
overnight.