watching and learning from the older generation

 I came out of Ollies Monday afternoon and stopped, lost in my thoughts. I looked to my left and that gentleman was waiting patiently with two shopping carts, ready to push them into the store. I apologized for just standing there, blocking his way and it was on the tip of my tongue to thank him for gathering carts so customers could shop when he said, I don't work here. I am just helping them out. My heart smiled. 

I am guessing this woman, who was with him, may have brought one of the two carts to him because she was on her way to retrieve another cart. I saw her bend over, without hesitation, and pick up a white bag, full of takeout trash someone had left behind on the ground. She didn't work there either. But the two of them, working together were making things easier for the ones who are employees.  

I was still marveling at those two with servant's hearts when Anita and I sat down at Panera for lunch. Out of the corner of my eye I saw this gentleman bent over, asking his wife a question, gentleness and patience written all over his face. I snapped this picture. Anita and I talked about how sweet it was and how our plan was to grow old with our husbands. Growing old together wasn't God's plan for our marriages and sometimes that is hard to accept, but we both trust that He knows what He is doing, even when we don't understand, agree or like it.

The drink machines are behind where that gentleman is standing. When we were done with our meal we went to get refills and I felt a nudge to stop.

"I don't want this to be weird, but thank you for sticking it out."

"You are right, that is weird."

I wanted to backpedal, but I forged on: "Are you married?"

"For fifty years."

"Unless you are the exception I imagine there have been bumps along the road..."

He moved his right arm in an up and down motion, live waves or hills as I finished...

"But you have hung in there. You have worked things out. You have stuck together."

"Did God tell you to say that?"

Now I was the one thinking this was a weird conversation. 

"Maybe."

"We have had more arguments and fought more in the last year than we have in the forty nine years before. Thank you. I think you were supposed to stop. We needed it."

"My husband died in 2014." 

"And mine died two years ago."

"I am so sorry."

"It is an encouragement to us when we see couples who have weathered life together...we were just talking as we ate about how we were supposed to grow old with our husbands but didn't have the chance. It is good to see couples like you."

Another nudge. "Can I pray with you?"

"Yes!"

It wasn't a long prayer. Mainly one of thanksgiving for this couple's example of never giving up, of honoring their covenant relationship to God and to one another.  As Anita and I walked away we heard "Have a blessed day." There were no words to describe how we had already been blessed by them so we didn't even try to respond with anything other than thank you.

As we walked across the parking lot we talked about all of the things that had to align for that situation to present itself.  I wasn't planning on leaving my house today. There are many restaurant choices at the mall. And the timing for us to be there at the same time they were? God was definitely involved. There is absolutely no way we could have orchestrated that encounter on our own.  There were tears in my eyes. We were in awe of the God moment we'd been invited to participate in. I am thankful for a friend who isn't embarrassed by my sometimes odd behavior!