Every morning a husband and wife each enjoy a large cup of hot, black brew, coffee for him, tea for her.
If you drive slowly enough and happen to glance in that direction, on a sunny day you’ll see them seated close together at the round table in the side yard. If it’s raining, they’ll be on the porch.
As the day’s light filters through the huge trees in their yard, and you happen to be walking along, you won’t hear the rustle of the turning of the pages of The Wall Street Journal, nor will you see them checking their iPhone emails.
In fact, you won’t hear anything at all but what you will see, in that brief moment as you pass by, is that they are holding hands.
And every day you’ll see them there, enjoying this ritual.
It is a quiet moment of kindness cradled in love.
I was reminded of the ancient Hebrew proverb that reads, “What is desirable in a man is his kindness.”
Le Clerc thinks that there is no virtue a man ought to be so desirous of as kindness, “as it is the greatest ornament of human nature, and the strongest bond of human society, which if anyone wants, however rich he may be, yet he is despised.”
Simple kindness.
Like a shared morning together over a large cup of hot, black coffee, or in her case, tea.
While holding hands.
