It was a generic birthday card for my wife mailed to our home.
As I returned from the mailbox, sorting through the bills and advertisements, there it was. The balloons and flowers and best wishes for a “Happy Birthday!” emblazoned on the envelope brought me pause, and I stood for a moment at the gate.
She no longer lives here.
I returned to my desk and picked up one of the books I had been given following the death of my wife two months ago tomorrow.
The words I read in the closing pages again gave me pause.
“Have you ever longed to be home?”
We had been married for 50 wonderful years, and long had been our love, and long had been her battle with cancer.
Tears come easily.
I turned the page.
“Some of you have bid farewell to lifelong partners.”
Placing my marker, I closed the book, and went for a walk.
Retracing my steps, there on our gate, was a reminder – one that again gave me pause.
It was a message she put there, a message she’d left behind for me.
Upon returning home.
Such a beautiful admiration for your life together. Thank you for sharing. I’ll keep this message locked in my memory forever.
David,
My usual propensity for writing verbose Replies / Comments is reduced to one word.
Wow!
Joseph Boyle
P.S. Keep moving forward. She would have expected and wanted you to do so.
As the grown kids and I discussed what to do with this big old house now that my dearest treasure on all this earth has taken up new residence, I mentioned that perhaps I should move into something smaller.
That suggestion was met with loving and firm resistance. ‘Too many memories here dad. We’ve faced life, and love and death in this home. Please stay.’
So, I am.
As I sit at my desk in our lovely home, it seems I cannot help but write, and write, and write of the one who most dominates my thoughts.
It is my therapy I suppose, and also my hope that readers might consider those who matter most, and live the very quickly passing time cherishing those most precious.