This morning brought much needed quiet time... Stopped for coffee and proceeded to run some errands. Had a wonderful trip to Lowes, Target and Ace Hardware.
The kids stayed home. Happily snuggled on the couch, arguing about which Saturday morning cartoon they were going to watch next.
At Lowe's while in line to pay I watched this elderly couple. They were ahead of me buying tile older people buy... The kind of wood looking linoleum that is sold in boxes of 20.
He must have been handsome in his youth. He was also a former service man. The hat he was wearing commanded respect and told of his service. He was rugged man. He was certainly intent on counting his tiles. I could just see his vision for today's project. His wife on the other hand was concerned for my time... Called me a young lady and wanted to make sure I didn't have to wait on them. I was unusually content to watch this interaction... I also thought to myself... So shopping at the big box tool super store will never get easier with my husband.
At that moment another cashier came to get me and then I was on my way.
Outside the store, walking to the car I was still musing over this couple and making up their life story... It was really romantic.
I bumped into them again, parked next to me. She "helping" him load the truck bed with their tile. Her "helping" amounted to moving it from the cart basket to the cart seat and straightening it for him to put into the truck. She was really good too, that was until she received a phone call.
Who knows who was on the other end but she was super excited to hear from them. I could tell from her hand gestures that she was explaining to the person on the other line what they'd be doing that afternoon. As she dived into her rendition of the project she lost all the focus she had on helping and walked away with the cart... Barely signaling her husband.
I sat there and watched them for quite sometime. I wanted to know more.
I wanted to know their story. The "before time forgot" stuff... How they met, and what kept them together? How did he serve our country and in turn how she kept the home fires burning? Is there a shoe box of letters in her closet he wrote to her when he was gone, tied with a red ribbon and does he still have the picture of her he kept with him in his helmet? What years were the hardest and what years were the best? Do they still hold hands and laugh with each other every day?
I count it a blessing that my marriage doesn't know the struggle of distance and hard times. It doesn't know the worry of waiting. In considering our own struggles I think of the best years and the worst years. The years of sorrow and the years of joy. I think of the commitment two silly young kids made in a garden with their family and friends - not truely understanding what for better or worse meant. Or that there would really be an in sickness in between the health. That marriage every day takes work and a renewed promise to love each other a little more than yesterday - even when today takes a bit more effort.
I really don't know this old couples story... I may have made it completely up... I did look at them and smile at the thought of the lifetime they must have had together and count myself as blessed.
I am thankful for the man God brought into my life. I am thankful for every wonderful day as well as rotten ones too. I am thankful for every joyful occasion and every tough situation. He truely is the person I hope to grow old with.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this morning... The fall weather that's daring to come in. I thank you for some quiet time and peopl watching. I thank you for this couple you placed in my path this morning. I thank you for the reminder to be grateful for the man you placed in my life 16 years ago. Lord watch over and protect us as we guard our hearts and minds. Lord help us to seek ways to serve you, each other and others. Give us the boldness to be obedient in all things. In your Sons name I pray... Amen
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