When a man loves a woman

A few minutes ago, just before 11 PM, my wife came into the kitchen and gave me a hug and a kiss. "You are the best husband in the whole world."

Now what brought that on?

Lets back up a couple of hours, and I'll explain.

Around 8:30 I was working on my book, finishing up changes to Chapter 7, and she was in the Family room on the phone. The next thing I know, she's walking through the foyer, crying.
"I have to go to Muhlenberg Hospital, my Godmother is going to die tonight."

It doesn't matter that I get up at 4 AM each day, or how tired I was, I grabbed my car keys.

We have call waiting, and she had picked up a second call from an old family friend, her Godmother's oldest son. He was out of state, and couldn't get to his Mom's bedside. He called my wife and asked her to go to the Hospital and say goodbye for him.

From Trexlertown to Muhlenberg in pouring rain at night isn't easy, especially on US 22, but I made it in under 20 minutes.
Mrs C has always been very close to her Godmother. She was planning to invite her to a small family get together next Saturday to celebrate Mrs C achieving her Masters degree from DeSales University here in Allentown.

What happened was that the woman and her husband, who would have been married 63 years this September, had gone to Muhlenberg Hospital for dinner at 5:30. They liked dining there.
After dinner, as they were about to drive home, she slumped over in the car. He drove straight to the ER entrance and got immediate help, but it was too late. She had suffered a massive Brain aneurysm.

This is where God telling us how to live, and God Showing us how to live, steps in.

The family greeted Mrs C warmly, and I watched quietly from the side as Mrs C spoke softly in the woman's ear, taking her hand firmly. The husband came out and thanked me for coming, reminding me how on Mrs C and I's wedding day, they had celebrated their 5oth Wedding anniversary, and how he had wished Mrs C and I 50 years of happiness. The grief and pain in his eyes was evident, but he was resolute in what he was going to do. Mrs C stepped away, and the priest administered last rites, and we all prayed together.

The Doctor then came in, and asked if the husband understood exactly what would happen if all life sustaining support was discontinued. He told her to go ahead. He took a seat next to his wife of 62 years, kissed her gently, and held her hand throughout the entire twenty minutes it took for her heart to stop. His love for her transcended all boundaries, and was so great that even after all these years, more than 6 decades, he was willing to let her go, than have her lay there suffering.

Sometimes we need reminders of what true commitment is. We wonder sometimes what is important, we ask ourselves just what is Love, and how do we show someone that we love them, and that our love for them is unfailing, and will never diminish?

Tonight God gave me a refresher course on what it is all about. God didn't tell me, God showed me. Most Wedding vows contain some version of the words, "to have and to hold, until death do us part." As the husband held his wife's hand, and escorted her to eternal rest, I decided that he wasn't just saying goodbye. I think he was confirming to her his commitment, one last time.