This past weekend as I made my way to the nursing home to celebrate my mom’s 98^th birthday, I decided to stop by the local Market Basket to pick up a Happy Birthday balloon.  After deciding on my favorite of their selection, and having the balloon filled, I got in line at the closest register.

Standing in line in front of me was a lanky teenage boy peeking out from under his ball cap.  When he saw me with my balloon, he gave me a smile and said hello.  I returned the smile and “hello” and then commented on the beautiful long stem single red rose he carefully held in his hands.  When I told him it was beautiful, he quickly offered to tell me why he was buying this long stem rose.

He rather shyly told me that he was going on his first date with a new girlfriend and the rose was for her.  He then gave me another shy smile.  I told him that she was a lucky girl and I felt sure he would make a great first date impression on her.  He smiled even bigger and said “I sure hope so!”  He then purchased the rose, smiled again and said “Have a good day.”  I returned the same and watched as he left the store with his prized gift.

A little while later, as I walked down the halls of the nursing home, I found myself slowly following a married couple, both residents of the home, being pushed to the dining hall in their wheelchairs.  As they were traveling slowly down the hallway, they held hands, only letting go in order to pass a medicine cart blocking half of the hallway, grasping each other’s hand once again as soon as possible.

I thought, how precious that this elderly couple still has such a love for each other, not wanting to let go even for a minute.  Then my thoughts went to the teenage boy with his beautiful long stem red rose, a gift for his obviously very special new girlfriend.  I suddenly realized that I had been blessed with witnessing a fresh young love possibly about to begin its journey as I stood in line at the grocery store and now, at the nursing home was witnessing a love that had lasted a lifetime.

I guess maybe I’m just a hopeless romantic, but both of these scenes tugged at my heart strings and I hope that my sharing them might do the same for you.

October 19, 2015