A man came up to my desk while I was on my shift at the Cancer Agency today. He handed me a piece of paper, said someone must have dropped it, it was a boarding pass for American Airlines flying out of Chicago to Providence for a Ms Mcphail. It was dated May 3, 1997. It begged to tell the story of a missed flight, perhaps a love lost, a rendezvous not met. Perhaps they did meet and the pass was saved as a remembrance of that anniversary...but now lost.
Ahh a love story, who doesn’t enjoy a love story?
I shared and witnessed a few of them this morning...
A little girl was coming off the elevator with her grandmother she seemed very happy and I asked her what she would be doing today. She said she was going to be having a play date today, she had one yesterday and today she was going to have another one...”with the exact same person!” She was skipping with excitement and clapping her hands in joy, her grandmother smiling beside her. Love, what a great expectation.
A little earlier two very elderly patients came out of the senior’s clinic in the office right next to my desk, I wished I had asked how old they were, but they were in love, no doubt. She was teasing him about being in her way, he turned slightly and said “yes dear”, she smiled and winked at me, he reached for her hand and held it, saying “put it into high gear mom” Now they both laughed, he with his cane and her with a walker. I stood and watched them walk down the hallway admiring them, hoping I will have that some day. Love, such a beautiful time.
At least twenty people gathered at the elevator, they were subdued, some of them holding packages, talking quietly, looking for others, waiting. I thought maybe they were going to a conference or a learning center, but no, they were all one family going upstairs to hear what the Doctor had to say about their loved one. I heard later it was the largest gathering of support for one patient. A dedicated family overflowing with love...love wanting more.
Today, a husband wheeled his frail, frail wife in a wheel chair up to the elevator, he took her just to the side of the door, came in front of her and bent down to kiss her, she ever so slightly lifted her face to meet his...it was the sweetest kiss. Then he went around, wheeled her into the elevator and the door closed. My heart stopped and a tear fell. Love still being felt and honoured and mourned.
I witnessed all these today and maybe more, yes there were more. I was on the outside peeking in on love stories...they are all around us...I love that.
Love...the greatest story ever told.
“And now these three
remain: faith, hope and love.
But the
greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
