One year ago today, May 24, I wrote an article entitled “Hearts On A String.” It was about my wife, who I had lost to cancer just two months previous after 50 years of marriage.
That Valentine’s Day was to be our last.
When her oncologist told us our journey was reaching the end, the doctor asked if when the end came, we would prefer to be in the hospital, or at home.
My wife looked at me from where she lay on the hospital bed and together, we answered: “home.”
For that Valentine’s Day, hearts, lots of hearts, were a display of love from the grandkids, hung by clothespins to a string stretched above the couch.
As on every night of the very few nights it turned out that we would have left, following her occasional bath, I would help her to the couch and tuck her in.
All settled in, her pillow fluffed, our story read, she thanked me.
“Just doing my job,” I answered.
“No,” she replied, tears forming in her eyes which she didn’t bother to brush away.
“No, you do it because you love me.”
I couldn’t answer right away, emotions welling up and my own tears falling down – then, and now as I write this – I responded.
“Yes, I do it because I love you.”
Beautiful and sad.
I have you on my prayer list David.
I love You
Jonn