When Trails Cross

Well, it was Valentine’s Day and that’s when they had met, he and his wife, and even though she had passed away 10 years ago, every Valentine’s Day he took the hike where they had met. So with a smile, he proceeded to the trail.

He placed his feet very carefully on the trail. There was a lot of loose stones and sand in places so he had to be very careful as he hiked down into the canyon.

It was a warm day, so he rolled his sleeves up to enjoy it but he kept his hat on because it was also very bright at that time of day there.

As he went down the trail it switched back and forth so it wasn’t too steep. It was fairly wide and deeper in the middle which he appreciated because it lent a sense of there being a safety ridge on the sides so that there wasn’t much chance of falling off the edge which he appreciated a great deal.

He had hiked the mountains for years and years and he was getting on in his age but he still loved to do it. At this time of his life he used a walking stick and from time to time would brace himself on it or would dig it into the ground just a little bit so that he could get a firm hold on his next step and lean against the stick.

As he got near the bottom he appreciated the beautiful stream that was running there. Suddenly he heard a little sound off to his left. He looked over and there was a lady sitting on a rock. He noticed that she was eating a sandwich and he mumbled to himself, “I wonder, this would be rather bold.” But he had a sandwich too and he went over and introduced himself very politely and said, “Hello, my name is Dominick and do you mind if I share this rock?” She replied, “No, certainly. Sit down. Nice to have company. My name is Donna.” 

He sat down and took out his sandwich and started eating it. He also had a apple and a pear. So when he got done with his sandwich and she did too he offered the pear to her and she said, “Oh, isn’t that funny. I also brought an apple and and a pear. Since you gave me your pear maybe you’d like mine.” He laughed and accepted her offer. 

The time of day was quite early still. It was about 11:00 o’clock but since they were in a canyon they knew they would have to get up out of there by at least 4:00 o’clock or it could get dark in a hurry. Sundown in a canyon happens early. 

After their lunch and pleasant conversation he asked her if she was taking the same trail up that he had taken down and she said, “No. I’m taking this other trail. It’s a little steeper but I like it better. He said, “Oh, I know that trail.” So she said, “Why don’t you join me?” 

And so he did and up the trail they went slowly but surely stoping to rest along the way because they were both getting on in years but they enjoyed their hike and eventually they got to the point of the trail that had an overlook and from there you could see not only the whole canyon in both directions but very far to mountains all around. The spectacular beauty of it all was enthralling.

Quietly he said, “This must be magnificent in the morning when the sun’s coming up,” and she replied softly, “Oh yes, it is I assure you.” 

He asked, “You’ve come here often?” “Yes,” she said, “I have a little cabin just up at the top.” “Oh,” he said, “I’ve seen that cabin so many times and always wondered who lived in it.” She smiled and said said, “Well, it’s me!”

They continued on up the hill with the trail twisting, at this point, back and forth and not as steep as it was so that it was easier going and they could walk steadily. They got to the top and they both rested a bit on a log that was there for that purpose.

They got to talking. She asked, “Well, where do you live?” He answered, “You know where the other trail is?” She said, “Yes, yes.” “And at the top of that trail,” he continued, “if you walk down the hill there’s an old house that’s near the Italian restaurant - have you seen that one?” “She said, “Oh my, is that the one with all the gingerbread carving on the wood around it?” He said, “Yes, yes, you’ve seen it.” She said, “Oh, I’ve walked past that house hundreds of times.” And they laughed at their similar experiences. She said, “Why don’t you come up on the porch and we’ll have a lemonade.” And so they did. 

Well, one thing led to another and before long they were seeing each other, becoming great friends and enjoying each others company.

She’d had a long marriage and raised several children but her husband had passed away many years ago and the children were grown up and lived a little ways away but they would still come and visit her when they could.

He had been married as well and his wife had also passed away quite a few years before and so they felt it was fate that they should meet at this time of their lives.

One day they had planned to go to the Italian restaurant so he walked up to her place, not as far as he had to walk the first time they met. There was a back trail from his house to her little cabin and they walked down from her place to the restaurant  together. 

He paused thoughtfully for a moment and said, “You know, we’ve been seeing each other for about a year now. Why don’t we make it permanent”. She smiled and said, “I’d love to.” And so they did.

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May you all enjoy pleasant surprises and good times. Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Question

Todd got out of bed. He looked in the mirror, shook his head. “How could I have gotten this way”, he thought to himself. “I used to be… well I used to be younger, that’s true,” he thought to himself, “…but now? Oh dear, I look like an unmade bed.”

He went to the bathroom, took a shower - a nice long one because it was his day off and he decided he would get dressed up in his best clothes. It had been a very long time since he got dressed up although when he looked at his wardrobe he was concerned that he wouldn’t fit into any of his nicer clothes anymore.

“Well,” he thought, “that’s what elastic waists are for.” He took out some of his old pants that didn’t have much wear because he bought them when he had put on weight and then he took it all off but in recent years he put back some of it - he was pretty sure he didn’t put it all back on. He tried on the elastic pants and wonder of wonders, they were loose! “This is wonderful,” he thought. And he tried on the next smaller size - still loose - and the next size.

You see, Todd is the sort of person who gains weight and looses weight and gains it again and looses it again. Some of you might know someone like that. Some of you might even resemble that but that’s alright, it’s part of life.

After a while, Todd found the size that fit him. It was somewhere between his biggest and his smallest so he didn’t feel too bad about it. Okay, it did have an elastic waist but not the whole waist, just at the sides. “So, that’s okay,” he thought with a smile.

He looked at his shirts and discovered that he did have several shirts that still fit him comfortably. He thought, “I can look nice today. I don’t have to be all rumply as I normally am in my old clothes.”

You see, Todd didn’t have to get all fancied up to do his work because his work was as a woodcarver. As a woodcarver - and he was a very good one - he didn’t have to look fancy but today was a special day. Today was the day he was going to ask his friend, whom he had known all his life - he was going to ask her out on a date. He was a shy person and never had the nerve to do that before but today was the day!

“She won’t be expecting me to look this nice”, he thought. “Normally I just look like, well, that unmade bed.”

So, he got his shoes out and polished them and brushed them to a bright shine. He thought, “It’s probably silly going to the repair shop but still…” nervously mumbling to himself getting ready but adding, “…gotta try, gotta try.”

He drove over to Crumple Repair, excited and nervous, to ask Shelly out on a real date. Everyone at the auto body repair shop knew him and called out to him as he was walking up the driveway.

Slim said, “Here comes Rumply!” “Hi Rumply,” others said and waved. Jack, who’d worked there the longest and worked for Shelly’s dad when he’d started the place, called to Shelly by her nickname at the shop, “Crumply! Rumply’s here only he looks different. Wonder what’s up?”

Shelly looked up from the dent she was pounding out, gave Todd a big smile and said to him, “You look great! What’s the occasion?”

Todd said, “I’ve known you all my life. Your my best friend in the world but your more than that to me.” Nervously, he continued, “You’re much more than that to me. Would you come out on a date with me? A real date, not just hanging out?”

Shelly got up slowly from the car she had been working on and walked up to Todd. She spread her arms out and they hugged each other. “Oh Shelly, I don’t want to complicate our friendship but I’ve loved you for a long time and just didn’t know how to say it.”

Shelly laughed and said, “I’ve loved you for years but I thought you didn’t feel that way so I made do with friendship. I love you too.”

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Valentine’s Day is a time to be reminded of the value of love. Hope you have a most benevolent and lovely day. Goodlife

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(photo: Photo is © B. Kim Barnes, used with permission and can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/38102978064/)

The Tree of Promise

Wayne stepped off the train platform on his way home. It was only 2 blocks by the sidewalk to get to his home. However he always liked to take the path which was a little farther.

The path went up over a hill and even though there wasn’t much along the way there was sometimes an unexpected flower having popped up. The tree that was at the very top of the hill would seem very calming or at times it even made him laugh.  

As he was going up the hill he got closer to the tree and yes, he started feeling giddy and before he knew it he was laughing and all the troubles and cares of his office life just fell away for a moment. 

He stopped and looked at the tree and laughed and smiled and felt so much better. He had no idea why the tree had this effect but it always cheered him up or just made him feel relaxed. He waited for a few minutes and smiling, walked on to his home.

Later that night as the moon was rising, just over the horizon, it had that beautiful orange-type glow that the moon has at times. Then at the base of the tree the little people came out and they were laughing and dancing as always. They looked at the base of the tree which was just above their home and they felt so good about it. 

They knew about Wayne who went by regularly and purposely took the foot path just so he could experience the happiness or the calm, whatever came over him.

Grandfather Elf said, “We’ve done good work. The tree has been our home but it’s time for us to move on. Now what can we do to give this walker who comes up the path one last happy experience?”

The next day Wayne got off the train feeling overwhelmed and confused - work had been hard and he wasn’t sure whether he really wanted to stay there anymore but he knew what he could do right now. Wayne stepped off the platform and made a beeline for the footpath. He thought to himself, "If anything can help me to feel better this is it." 

He started up the path and it was like always except that there were new flowers - he didn’t know where they had come from. He wondered whether someone planted flowers along the way. 

He stopped and looked at them. One was purple and right next to it a sweet little yellow flower. As he looked at them for a moment he felt calmer and enjoyed the rest of his walk up the hill. 

When he approached the top of the hill there was a woman there and as he got closer he smiled shyly towards her and she smiled back. “Hello,” he said. She answered, “Hi. What’s your name?” He responded, “My name is Wayne.” She asked, “Do you come this way often?” He answered, “Yes, I do. I don’t think I’ve met you before.” She said, “Oh, my name is Sally.”

“Oh, that’s nice. And where do you live,” Wayne asked. Sally answered, “Oh I just moved in” and she pointed the other way down the path to an apartment building which was right across the street from Wayne’s house. He said, “Oh that’s, that’s so close. I just live across the street.” “Oh that’s nice,” she said. 

Sally continued, “I haven’t seen many people on this footpath. You’re the first one today and I have to say I was surprised to see somebody come up the path wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase.” 

Wayne laughed out loud cheerfully and said, “This is one of the reasons that I come up this path. I come from the office and it’s the same work day after day and it’s very boring and tiring and I come up this path because it’s more natural. There’s flowers sometimes. There’s some new flowers as I was coming up the path. Did you see them?” 

“No,” she said, “I haven’t seen those yet. I came up from the other way but I noticed some new flowers from where I came up also.” Wayne smiled and said, “Oh good. I always love it when there’s flowers and the tree, you know, it’s very cheerful or sometimes just calming.” 

Sally agreed saying, “I’ve noticed that. When I came up this trail just to explore, the tree was so beautiful and I just suddenly felt so relaxed like everything was alright.” Wayne added, “That’s exactly the experience I have. Either that or I just feel happy and I laugh.” 

Sally said, “What a wonderful thing and it’s so nice to find somebody else who does this kind of thing and comes and explores. The sidewalk is the quicker route, you know.” 

Wayne agreed and said, “I know but I love this way.” Sally smiled and said, “I love this way too.” And they continued talking happily for the next few minutes.

Deep underground Grandfather Elf said, “This is wonderful. They’ve both been so lonely for so many years and now they have each other.” Grandmother Elf replied, “This is truly a wonderful thing to do. I’m so glad that we got together with Grandmother Tree and said the right prayers for this to happen.” 

While Wayne and Sally were walking back down the path towards their homes Sally showed Wayne the new flowers she had seen. They were both smiling and enjoying their new friendship. 

Meanwhile back at the tree the elf family had their bags packed and were ready to go. Grandmother Elf asked,”Do you think they’ll really get married?” Grandfather Elf who knew these things said, “Oh yes. They’ll be together regularly and I think maybe they’ll have a long happy life together and have several children and it will be good and what more can you ask out of life.” 

Grandmother Elf smiled at Grandfather Elf and she said, “You know, when you say things like that it makes me realize what a wonderful world it can be.” 

Pretty soon the golden door opened and off they went to retire in happiness.

Happy Valentines Day to you all.

Wheels of Passage

“You need to meet somebody that’s your own age, Dad,” Tilda said to her father. “Maybe you’ll be interested again.”

“Oh honey…,” Gus said, “…I was married to your mother for 40 years and I’m not sure whether I’m ready to even think about being with another woman.”

“But dad, it’s been 7 years since mom - you know.”

“I know sweetie but you know, she was the love of my life. I can’t imagine, well…”

“Look dad, here it is. I met this woman - now don’t jump up, give me a minute okay? I met this woman recently and she’s a really nice person. And you know, the reason she caught my eye in the first place is that she was out in front of her house polishing this beautiful old hot rod.”

“Come on - now you’re making something up,” he said. “No, no really. I took a picture. Take a look at this,” Tilda said showing him the photo on her phone.

“Whoa, well what makes you think it’s her car?”

“Well, you know, I went over and asked her. I told her, ‘Gosh, my dad’s been interested in cars and hot rods his whole life.’” 

She said, ‘Really?’ and then she went on polishing.” 

“I said, ‘It’s such a beautiful car. Is it yours?”

She said, “Oh yes, I’ve had this car for about 27 years. Yeah, it’s a long story and I’ve got to finish waxing it.”

“So you know dad, I just pitched in and helped her finish. You know how I am and it’s not like we haven’t polished plenty of cars over time together,” Tilda said with a smile.

Gus chuckled, “You sure are helpful honey and you’re not shy with cars. You sure helped me wax a few.”

“Well anyway,” Tilda continued, “we got to talking…”

“Now wait a minute,” Gus interrupted, “you’ve been telling me now for about 6 months about this new friend you’ve got and you’ve been hanging around with her. This isn’t by chance your new friend?”

“Well, yes she is dad. I wasn’t sure for a long time, you know, whether she was available.”

“Oh I see”, Gus said, “what makes you think she is now?”

“Well, I saw this picture on her mantlepiece when we were inside having coffee after washing her car recently and it was her when she was younger standing next to a fella and I asked her about it. She told me that she always brought that picture out around Valentines Day. She said that was her husband and that he’d passed over quite a few years ago.”

“Well, we got to talking then. She said she works at an auto parts store and it’s a job she really likes. On the weekends she usually tinkers with the hot rod and sometimes drives it around a little bit though she has a regular car too that she drives to work. Anyway dad, we got to talking and she’s kind of lonely… and uh dad, you’re lonely too.”

“Well now honey, I’ve got my dog and got my good girl here”, he said smiling affectionately at Tilda, “and I’ve got a good life.”

“I know that dad but I know you’re lonely.”

Gus paused for a moment and then said, “Well, yeah I admit it sweetie. I’m lonely but people’ve been trying to fix me up for a while and…”

“Just give it a try dad. Tell you what. I was on my way over to Trudy’s and I was going to bring her some of my special valentine shaped cookies. Why don’t you come along.”

“Well, okay,” he said.

They walked the few blocks over to Trudy’s house and up her driveway and there she was with her back to them standing next to the beautiful blue 1932 Ford coupe. 

Impressed by the beauty of the old hot rod Gus said, “My goodness!”

Trudy turned around and said, “Hi Tilda and who’s this?”

Tilda said, “Well, it’s my dad.”

Gus and Trudy took one look at each other and eyes were twinkling back and forth.

“Well, I was just going in to have some coffee and now we have something wonderful to go with it. Do you want to come in?” Trudy said to both of them but glancing at him in particular.

“Well yes, I believe I will,” Gus replied glancing at Tilda who nodded cheerfully.

They all walked in to Trudy’s house and got settled with some good hot coffee and Tilda’s extra fancy cookies.

They’d been chatting pleasantly for a few minutes when Tilda grinned and said to Trudy, “Tell him your nickname.”

“Oh honey, for pete’s sakes,” Trudy said laughing. “Go on, you can tell him. There’s a reason you can tell him. Come on, tell him now,” Tilda said somewhat mysteriously.

“All right,” Trudy said looking at Tilda with a bit of an unsaid question showing on her face. “My good friends occasionally call me Wrinkly.”

“Oh my gosh!” Gus said his face getting red as he looked at his daughter.

“No, no, no dad. Wait,” said Tilda reassuringly.

Trudy went on to say, “Some years ago I was visiting my son and his family. We’d all gone to the lake and the children were swimming and splashing around in the water. Jilly, who was only about three years old then came over to me and looked up and said, “Grandma, you’re wrinkly.”

“My son Rory and his wife Jan rushed over to apologize but I was laughing and so was Jilly and we all laughed together. Jan explained after our laugh-fest that the children had recently seen a Shar Pei dog and that Jilly must have picked up a new word for her when the dogs owner described him as wrinkly. And you know, every once in a while one of the kids, especially Jilly, or even Rory or Jan will call me Wrinkly.”

Tilda looked at her dad with a mischievous smile and said, “Your turn.”

Gus smiled at them both and said, “Okay. When I was a teenager I had a summer job working at a deli. It was a very popular place so my task was to wrap the sandwiches up well with tinfoil so they would stay fresh. So all day long I was doing that. Some of the fella’s who worked there started kidding me because of all the sounds the tinfoil made and started calling me Crinkly and the name just stuck. My old friends still call me that.”

The three of them stared at each other and started laughing. Well, one thing led to another and every weekend for the next few months Gus and Trudy would get together and ride around in her old hot rod or go to the movies or just take a nice walk.

One fine spring day Gus said to Trudy, “You know we hit it off pretty good. What do you say if you and I make it a regular thing.”

Trudy said, “Well, you’re going to have to say that the right way.”

And he said, “Yes indeed. Madame Wrinkly, Mr. Crinkly would like you to be my wife.”

Trudy replied, “Mr. Crinkly, Madame Wrinkly would definitely like to do that.”

It just goes to show, never give up, never assume that life in any of its stages is beyond you. You just never know when something wonderful might happen. 

On that note, I’d like to wish you all a Happy Valentines Day wherever you are and whatever you’re doing and of course, goodlife to you all.

By The Grace of God…

It was a long time coming. Actually, she'd given up a while back but something about giving up just seemed to ease her way a bit. She was no longer anxious and worrying about it and she just lived her life as well as possible. 

It wasn't a complicated life but it was one that needed attention. She had to chop a little wood now and then. She had to carry a few things here and there. 

It made her smile when she thought of that because she had heard this phrase once from a student. He was hitchhiking his way across the country and working odd jobs. 

His name was Stan, as she remembered and every once in a while when she was doing her chores around the cabin he would stop and smile if he was helping out a neighbor and he'd say, "Chop wood, carry water." And she'd look at him kind of funny and after a while she began to think of him as Stan - chop wood carry water. 

The last time she saw him he told her that it had to do with something that he'd read in a book once about understanding the way life worked. That you could think about things, though ultimately you still had to chop wood, carry water. 

Meaning he had to get up in the morning, he had to go to sleep at night, he had to do the chores that he did. In short, he had to do what he had to do every day and he would say, "Chop wood, carry water" to her because it was really a compliment. She was doing what needed to be done also.

He liked to talk with her. That's what he said and when he would come around during the summertimes like that she was always grateful because her neighbors didn't always want to talk about things. 

Sometimes they just wanted to grumble and complain but she never saw any point in that. She thought it would be worthwhile to do the work and to do it as well as possible what ever it was so that she could feel good about having done the job well whether it was something small or something bigger like repairing the cabin which she could do. 

This year was different though. When Stan came around he seemed to be a little more mature. He didn't say, "Chop wood, carry water" to her anymore. Every once in a while he'd come by and just give her a flower and bow a little bit or smile a little bit and go on. She didn't know exactly what that meant but it made her smile. 

It had been a long time since her mother and dad had passed away and she didn't really know that there was going to be much more in life for her but she still felt good that she had her health, she had her old dog who was getting on but still was a good companion and while not being much able to be a true watchdog would alert her to somebody coming around - even Stan. 

He'd give a little woof - not a big one, just a little woof and when he would do that she'd always know that it was a friend coming. He could still give a loud bark if it was somebody that he didn't know. He was a good old dog. 

This last time Stan came around he gave her a flower again and he said, "There's somebody I'd like you to meet." She asked, "Is it somebody local?"  Stan replied, "Just down that trail that turns off to the right a piece but he said he hadn't met you." She thought about it and said, "I haven't been down that particular trail. I don't know why. I just go the way I've always gone and come back the way I've always come back." 

Stan smiled a little and said that he'd been doing some work for this guy and the man had mentioned that he'd seen you coming and going and would it be possible for Stan to introduce the two of you. 

After Stan said this and after all these few years talking to Stan she felt that he was a good person. A young man yes but had a good heart and a clear mind and she said, "Well, what do you think Stan? Is it alright to meet this person?" Stan answered, "I wouldn't have brought it up if I thought it wasn't." 

Stan suggested, "How about tomorrow? I'll be coming by at the usual time and I could bring him with me." She paused for a moment and then said, "Well, I don't have anything special to wear." Stan said with a slight chuckle, "Well, he said the same thing to me but you know what - I think that you two could be friends and who knows. I don't think you need to do anything - just be yourself. That's what I said to the man too." She answered, "Okay." 

Well, sure enough that next day came. She had slept pretty well although she woke up in the middle of the night thinking - what am I going to do. Oh my - but she went back to sleep. Stan came by and he brought him. He was a nice looking fella - right around her age. She had no idea he had been nearby. She thought to herself - I've never seen this man and I swear he looks like he could be my age or pretty close to it. 

Stan introduced them. He said, "George, this is my friend Molly that I told you about." George said, "Pleased to meet you ma'am." Molly replied, "I'm happy to meet you George." George continued, "I have these nice flowers growing nearby in my garden where Stan has been doing a little work for me. I wondered if I could bring you a flower every day and take over that job from Stan." Molly said, "Well, I still like to see Stan but if you'd like to bring a flower, I wouldn't say no." 

Thinking back on that now, Molly thought to herself, looking over at George dozing off a bit in his chair by the fireplace - him being a bit older now since they'd been married for - what was it - 23 years and still getting along fine - now living in George's cabin which was quite a bit bigger and nicer then her old place though she loved her old place as well. 

She looked in the mirror and thought - my, my, we do get on but we're still strong for being in our 80's and looking back on it she thought to herself - I'm so grateful for Stan bringing George by that way. 

She went over and she woke up George. "Let's go to bed, Honey." George smiled at her and said, "I was just dreaming how grateful I was to Stan for introducing us. He was a good boy, wasn't he. Yes, he's gone off now to do other things but he said he'd bring by the wife and kids this next spring. I'll look forward to meeting them." "Me too Honey," said Molly, let's go to bed now." 

George got up out of the rocking chair and they walked off into the bedroom to enjoy each other and to live on for the time they had left. 

As life went on they had another 7 good years together and one night they were in each other's arms and both just passed away together softly and gently into the night. Lived to their 90's they did and a very nice surprise later in life discovering that life wasn't over yet for either one of them.

Happy Valentines Day and remember, life isn't over for you either. You never know what good things life could bring down the road. A friend perhaps and maybe even a friend who is a messenger.

Tilly and Bill

She thought back to the days of when they first met every time that she looked at that old frame, even from the side, with the picture of them in their heyday - very young and full of spunk - and they loved each other so much - she felt a surge of that love again. 

She wheeled over to get a little closer so she could see it better. The picture was in black and white because it was taken a long time ago. She remembered, "I think it was taken in the forties - yes it was the forties," she thought. 

The picture frame wasn't very fancy. It was a wooden frame but it was carved nicely. Her husband had carved it and made it special to fit the picture. The picture was big for its day, a portrait - and he made a special folding bracket in the back so that it could either stand up or be hung from a wall. That was not widely available then, not as now. 

Tilly got a little closer to the picture because she had to these days, and put on her special glasses for seeing things close up. She looked at it. 

There they were, young as could be sitting on the rail of the corral and smiling. Inside the corral was her favorite horse. She remembered that horse very well. She wasn't her horse but she was a good horse and Tilly liked visiting with her. 

That was the ranch that her family visited when she was younger, a teenager. That's where she met her husband. He was working at the ranch on a summer job and the two of them just clicked. 

They stayed in touch over the years through school. She went to college and he went to trade school and became a Farrier - shoeing horses - and she didn't realize then that their friendship would grow into something that lasted her whole lifetime. 

She didn't think he did either at the time but later on when they were married finally, she found out that he had always had his eye on her and had fallen in love with her - deeply in love when they had first met. 

She, on the other hand, liked him very much as a friend initially but over the years through college and the hard work and the study and onward afterwards to getting her medical license and becoming a General Practitioner just like her father - she felt through those years of study and working and practice that there was something missing in her life. 

She wrote weekly to her friend but the older she got and the more into her professional work she got, she realized that she didn't know anybody or appreciate anybody or really - by that time in her life - she admitted it - she didn't love anybody as much as she loved Bill. 

So, after she completed her residency she decided that she owed herself a trip and she took that trip back to Duluth, Minnesota where Bill had his Farrier practice and she didn't tell him she was coming. 

She figured that if she'd see him, if he was married, she'd smile and shake hands and shake hands with his wife and meet his kids and so on - she didn't know, she wasn't sure, she wasn't as confident as she got to be later - in his love. 

She went to his place where he worked on the horses and there he was - and lo and behold - she couldn't believe it - there was a picture of her on the wall next to his tools. 

He was working cleaning his tools when she walked in. Of course he was older and she'd seen a couple of pictures that he'd sent but he wasn't much into pictures although she liked photography very much. 

Tilly made a little sound, "Ahem" and he turned around slowly and his face lit up and his eyes were wide and he walked slowly towards her and there were tears at the corners of his eyes.

He said, "I was afraid I'd never see you again," and she said, "I knew I had to come." They hugged each other and she said without shame very quickly, "Are you married?" and he said, "No." And he said just as quickly, "Are you married?" And she said, "No." And he said, "Well, let's do something about that." Within three weeks they were married and they were married for fifty years. 

He had recently passed away and now a day didn't go by when she didn't wheel over in her chair and stop and look at that picture and know that true love lasts and sometimes it lasts even longer then you thought it would and sometimes it lives on forever.

Happy Valentines Day.

The Memory Box

And now it's time for me to present you with a little treat. Here's your new Valentine's Day story:

The Memory Box

The memories would flood in at this time of year. She remembered dimly, those sweet days when the heady aroma of chocolate and carmel and hazelnut and other marvelous treats were all around and about her. My, that was wonderful. She was all shiny and new painted in beautiful colors with flowers and angels and other decorations and she was with others like her.

Then there was that memory of being presented by someone who was thrilled and excited to someone else who was happy and felt loved. What a beautiful time that was.

And then being passed around occasionally but mostly being treasured and opened once in a while for the loved one to retrieve a treasured sweet.

In time the sweets had all been consumed and her days became different. Then there were the letters - precious letters written by the special loved one to the one who was loved. And those letters and precious memories were there for her for such a long time that she grew used to being a vessel of love.

Then there was a long quiet time in a larger box with other treasured memories and photographs.

But in recent days she'd been discovered again after a long time in the attic of the old home. The love letters were taken out, she hoped perhaps to be read again by someone but she had not been given the opportunity to contain them any longer.

Now she had something new to do and it was fun and exciting. She had never had that experience. She was happily passed around from child to child. She was being used to contain a set of jacks and the ball that goes with it to play the time old appreciated game.

She enjoyed this even though she was bumped and dropped occasionally - not on purpose. It's just that little hands didn't have the ability to always hold her well but their excitement and happiness more then made up for that.

Now she was set aside again with the set of jacks in the old toy chest and placed up in the attic once again and at this time of the year she would remember having held the marvelous sweets. Then having held the precious love letters and now holding Cindy's favorite toy - perhaps to be cherished again someday by her daughter or even her granddaughter.

Love, sweets and happiness, precious memories, favorite toys. She smiled to herself in her own special way and felt blessed on Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day

Once upon a very long time ago we were all part of the same egg - I recall it clearly.

I heard a voice during that time say, "But what else is there?"

There was a long low vibration and the vibration seemed to be answering, "I don't understand" and the little voice said, "Isn't there something else beyond the egg?"

The rest that had answered said, "We don't know" and the little voice said, "I'm going to go and find out."

Well that was a long time ago and you know what I've been feeling ever since is that there is a re-gathering and the re-gathering is taking place very comfortably.

I believe what's happened is that we now have the full dozen eggs but we still have not returned to the overall egg. Perhaps that's what's going to happen next. I'll look forward to that and I'll look forward to being with you all in that most beautiful place.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Goodlife.