Don’t hope, friend... decide!
Here is a story from Michael
Hargove.
While waiting to pick up a friend at
the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life changing experiences
that you hear other people talk about. You know, the kind that sneaks up on you
unexpectedly? Well, this one occurred a mere two feet away from me!
Straining to locate my friend among
the passengers deplaning through the jetway, I noticed a man coming toward me
carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.
First, he motioned to his youngest
son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long
and movingly loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other’s face,
I heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!”
His son smiled somewhat shyly, diverted his eyes, and replied softly, “Me too,
Dad!”
Then the man stood up, gazed in the
eyes of his oldest son (maybe 9 or 10) and while cupping his son’s face in his
hands he said, “You’re already quite the young man. I love you very much Zach!”
They too hugged a most loving, tender hug. His son said nothing. No reply was
necessary.
While this was happening, a baby girl
(perhaps one or one and a half) was squirming excitedly in her mother’s arms,
never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning
father. The man said, “Hi baby girl!” as he gently took the child from her
mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his
chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed
and simply laid her head on his shoulder and remained motionless in total pure
contentment.
After several moments, he handed his
daughter to his oldest son and declared, “I’ve saved the best for last!” and
proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember
seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed,
“I love you so much!.” They stared into each other’s eyes, beaming big smiles
at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant, they reminded me of
newlyweds but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn’t be. I puzzled
about it for a moment, then realized how totally engrossed I was in the
wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm’s length away from
me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I were invading something sacred, but
was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, “Wow! How long have you two been
married?”
“Been together fourteen years total,
married twelve of those.” he replied without breaking his gaze from his lovely
wife’s face. “Well then, how long have you been away?” I asked. The man finally
looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile and told me, “Two whole days!”
Two days?! I was stunned! I was
certain by the intensity of the greeting I just witnessed that he’d been gone
for at least several weeks, if not months, and I know my expression betrayed
me. So I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some
semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend),
“I hope my marriage is still
that passionate after twelve years!”
The man suddenly stopped smiling. He
looked me straight in the eye, and with an intensity that burned right into my
soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, “Don’t
hope friend…decide.” Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my
hand and said, “God bless!.” With that, he and his family turned and
energetically strode away together.
I was still watching that exceptional
man and his special family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me
and asked, “What’cha looking at?” Without hesitating, and with a curious sense
of certainty, I replied, “My future!”
Shalom (Peace)
By Ayo Daniels
