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Don’t Hope, Friend… Decide
by Michael Hargrove
http://www.bluinc.com/
(selecting the above link will open a new window)
[short story]
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 babygirl!” 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!”
© Copyright 1997 by Michael D. Hargrove and Bottom Line Underwriters,
Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission