He stood on one side of the wide doorway, between the cafeteria and cafe, and I sat on the other with my twin boys. An old man, he was drawn in by my little boys’ antics, “Sweet,” he called them.
Right there he opened the story of his life, his love, to me.
“I can remember it like it was yesterday,” he said.
And it was.
It was yesterday and it was 1948 when they first met and then also 1950 when she held his hand and said, “I love you so.” It was all of those moments at once because that’s the way it is with love.
Love opens itself to us and, entering in, we embrace the moment and in it all of the moments of our lives.
I listened, wide-eyed and smiling, because that’s what you do when love shows up.
My boys must have felt it too, because after he left, they leaned into me pleading with great earnestness, “Me hug, me hug?”
I gave my approval and one ran to the man, grasping his legs from behind in a bear-hug that I feared would topple them both. The other clung to my hand, flirting, before diving in too.
Because that’s what you do when love arrives, you run, arms open wide to embrace it, you flirt before diving in too, embracing that moment that holds all moments as one.
This post is linked with Five Minute Friday.
Oh what a sweet story! I am so glad you recorded it for us and for your boys. 🙂 Bless you!
Thanks! They are sweetness embodied:)
I adore this story and by boys love to hug total strangers…somehow I think they know the person needs it.
Aw, thanks. I was surprised by their outgoingness, but yes, I think they noticed my openness and followed suit.
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
Thanks for stopping by, Melinda.
Hi Kelly –
Thank you for sharing this lovely story. Love this idea: "that's what you do when love shows up." Makes me wonder what I do when I encounter love. Here's hoping I embrace it with childlike faith as your boys have!
I was reading your story and felt an instant connection with you. I, too, am a woman in ministry. Perhaps "in ministry" is used loosely as I put my ordination and 1 semester of seminary to use mainly as a home-educator to our three children. Blessings!
Under the Mercy-
Niki
http://musingsandmalfunctions.blogspot.com