Day 6

Perspective


Today I am grateful for perspective….

Looking back on your life, how will you choose to remember what has happened to you?

A man and a woman, rather advanced in their years, were sitting on a porch swing reminiscing about their life together.

The man says “ I am sorry that when we married, I didn’t have the money to buy you the ring you deserved”

The woman replies, while looking down at her finger that has worn the same ring for the last 54 years,

“The ring that you gave me the night you asked me to marry you is an expression of a love so pure and simple that nothing else can ever distract from it.”

The man says “I am sorry that we married in a quick ceremony before I shipped out and left you for two years. The letters I wrote can never replace the time I missed with you”

The woman replies “The ceremony was perfect and the money we saved by not having a big wedding allowed us to buy our first house. You went away to war and sent me love notes that I have read and reread all my life, that I will be able to pass down to our children and grandchildren so they know what real love is.”

The man says “ I am sorry for the loss of our oldest son. It caused you great heart break.”

The woman says “Although we didn’t get to hold him in our arms for very long, we were able to experience firsts with him: the first joy of knowing we were pregnant, the first time you ever felt that unconditional love for another human, the first laugh, the first smile. We will meet him again and be able to tell him that he made us better parents to his sisters because we were able to love them differently having experienced his loss”.

The man says “ I am sorry for working so much, I left you home to deal with the kids, the house and all the other daily dredges of life. I don’t feel like I was there for you when I needed to be”

The woman says “ You provided a house that I made a home, you provided food that turned into memories around the dinner table with you and the children. You may have been away, but you were always here when we needed you.”

The man says “Mostly, I am sorry that this time in our lives, when we are supposed to be together enjoying our retirement and all that hard work, I am sorry that I got sick and can’t do that with you.”

The woman says “Your sickness, like everything else in our lives, we will get through together. You might apologize for all of these things, but I am grateful for all of them. They allowed us to grow together, become closer and create memories that will be with us and those around us for a lifetime.”

The man says “I am scared that I am going to die and leave you alone”

The woman says “I can never be alone, because you are part of my heart and soul. You will be with me forever. Whatever the afterlife holds for us, I know that you will be waiting for me.”



Hugs and love to you all