Amaya Corbin
I have never been an expert when it came to true love. How could I? I’m too young to know such a strong emotion. Although boys have claimed to love me before, I assumed at the time I actually believed it. But it was false, almost as if the “love” had worn out over time. Having a marriage of 50 years seemed impossible. So I thought… until I took notice of this old man, his skin withered from age, freckles covering his face like polka-dots, and bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep. He looked like he should be weary but instead he wore a grin on his face. He dressed sharp from head to toe in a gray suit, white button-down, black tie, and dress shoes. He could have jumped straight out of a James Bond movie.
The old man limped enthusiastically down the hallway with a Bible in one hand and a single rose in the other. The expression on his face showed determination. He was on a mission. But for what? I watched from afar as he surprised an elderly lady, who was talking to her friends, with a peck in the cheek. Then he leaned over, half-way bowing, to present to her the flower. Smiling, she took in the aroma of the flower, thanked him and kissed his cheek.
The way he gave her the rose was like he was still trying to persuade her into the first date. It wasn’t Valentine’s Day. It wasn’t her birthday or an anniversary either. It was simply a small reminder to show he loved her and was thinking about her. I overheard the couple say they had been married for over 65 years and still would take a bullet for each other. If that isn’t true love then I don’t know what is.
One time I was sitting in the sanctuary and right in front of me a lady, probably in her early 70s, was sitting on her husband’s lap, just talking to friends like this was normal. Maybe it was. This was just the first time I saw it. It shows that age really doesn’t matter after a certain point. They had to be married at least 50 years. The same fire they had in their eyes when they first met was still there. They still had it. Take the same picture and date it back to the 1950s. Their love never changed, it just grew. These couples' love was a living testimony of hope. I too can have a marriage of 60 years. However, with it takes patience, kindness and unconditional love for myself before I can unconditionally love someone else. But I'm up for the challenge.
I have never been an expert when it came to true love. How could I? I’m too young to know such a strong emotion. Although boys have claimed to love me before, I assumed at the time I actually believed it. But it was false, almost as if the “love” had worn out over time. Having a marriage of 50 years seemed impossible. So I thought… until I took notice of this old man, his skin withered from age, freckles covering his face like polka-dots, and bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep. He looked like he should be weary but instead he wore a grin on his face. He dressed sharp from head to toe in a gray suit, white button-down, black tie, and dress shoes. He could have jumped straight out of a James Bond movie.
The old man limped enthusiastically down the hallway with a Bible in one hand and a single rose in the other. The expression on his face showed determination. He was on a mission. But for what? I watched from afar as he surprised an elderly lady, who was talking to her friends, with a peck in the cheek. Then he leaned over, half-way bowing, to present to her the flower. Smiling, she took in the aroma of the flower, thanked him and kissed his cheek.
The way he gave her the rose was like he was still trying to persuade her into the first date. It wasn’t Valentine’s Day. It wasn’t her birthday or an anniversary either. It was simply a small reminder to show he loved her and was thinking about her. I overheard the couple say they had been married for over 65 years and still would take a bullet for each other. If that isn’t true love then I don’t know what is.
One time I was sitting in the sanctuary and right in front of me a lady, probably in her early 70s, was sitting on her husband’s lap, just talking to friends like this was normal. Maybe it was. This was just the first time I saw it. It shows that age really doesn’t matter after a certain point. They had to be married at least 50 years. The same fire they had in their eyes when they first met was still there. They still had it. Take the same picture and date it back to the 1950s. Their love never changed, it just grew. These couples' love was a living testimony of hope. I too can have a marriage of 60 years. However, with it takes patience, kindness and unconditional love for myself before I can unconditionally love someone else. But I'm up for the challenge.