love

Forever My Love

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Words of love
Softly spoken
Like clouds above
Drift away
What shall I say?
To let you know the way I feel
Should I cry out loud that love is real?
Or simply reveal
Forever my love

Time alone will tell us
Lovers born in May
May grow bitter and jealous
Faded and gray
What shall I say?
It’s not another lovers game
It doesn’t seen to have a name
It changes and remains the same
Forever my love, my love

Yesterday’s projection will never really know
But tomorrow’s recollection will surely know
It was so
Between us
Ain’t no other way
Time has seen us
Day after day
What shall I say?
That isn’t in the way I act
That will carry through the years intact
I’m lookin’ forward to lookin’ back
From further in down the track
Together in fact
Forever my love, my love

She caught me by surprise today. Telling me about this song by songwriters Carly Simon & James Taylor. Lately occasionally in the midst of the corona virus catastrophe, she’s been playing old albums as she puts her office/sewing room in some sort of order. Various moods float through our house.

She also found this picture of us on our wedding day. (Goodness, we were thin then!) She made that dress. It was a wonderful day that I have little memory of. That is sad, is it not? I did not keep all the minutia of that day in my heart as she did. I remember it was HOT.

We were married in late August in Ohio. Long enough ago that A/C was advertised as an important feature of bars and other gathering places.

Today, almost 50 years later, I reflect on that fact and the wonderful times we have had. And look forward to the years we have left and I wonder if I am able to keep the minutia in my heart as her ability to do that fades. I pray that I can. To help her remember later and never correct her recollection, merely help her weakened mind.

Forever my love. That was our vow to each other. Forever. That is love. Her disability now is the reason we were brought together then. He knew she would need me. For that I am grateful. I did not think I would be when we first learned of the Parkinson’s but with each passing day I realize the gift He has given me.

Sometimes people are wonderful – Say Thanks!

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Sometimes people you know do things for you purely from love and kindness and empathy. Say thanks to them. Often.

Dear Nancy,

Your gift of these words,

“ YOUR CROSS – The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost Heart. This cross He now sends you He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His Divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms and weighed with His own hands to see that it be not one inch too large and not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His Holy Name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God.”

from St. Francis de Sales mean more to me than you can ever know. I read this over and over several times.

This journey that appeared in front of Cheryl and me – Parkinson’s disease – occasionally tears my heart to shreds. At first, in the early years, she was the same as the girl I married many years ago. Recently, over the last two to three years I can detect a combination of mental deteriorations that often sadden me to the point where I get a powerful feeling of overwhelming dread. Lately I am greatly concerned that it will be beyond my ability to care for her in the not-so-distant future.

“… not one inch too large and not one ounce too heavy for you.” Believe me sincerely when I say that I wish I had your deep unbridled faith in something beyond you. And thank you for believing that I have that same faith.

I experience a wide range of emotional feelings mostly centered around caring for Cheryl. Sometimes it borders on depression. Sometimes I feel genuine rage and anger. Sometimes I envy others’ perceived good health. Sometimes I am deeply disappointed that Cheryl and I cannot do many of the things we used to greatly enjoy – she and I used to hike long distances in the woods, for example. And then sometimes I will read a story, essay or prayer such as the one you sent me which calms my heart. The essay or prayer will bring me back to earth and re-establish life’s meaning.

There’s a little story in your downstairs bathroom about foot prints in the sand. I am thinking of that now as I have re-read your card for the umpteenth time today and I listen to Cheryl talk to herself in the next room while she works on a sewing project for the grandsons for Christmas. (Her good periods are short and come and go quickly.)

I have come to believe that my purpose in being is to care for Cheryl and to fend off those who would take advantage of her weakened mind and frail physical condition. I probably take on too much responsibility for success or failure in that regard. I have not opened my heart completely someone beyond me to help with that. I admire your ability to find strength in your faith. I have not found that yet. Perhaps one day, but, for now I am still working on it.

Thanks once again for thinking of me and pointing out that He never gives one too much to bear.

Paul

Giving thanks to someone is humbling. And, though, I do not often use the phrase – I am blessed – My sister-in-law, Nancy, is there to remind me that I am in fact blessed but then she has been though a similar experience. She has the wisdom of hind sight and has chosen to look forward.