When my mom was living with us, Wayne and I made it a point to take her to church on Sundays. She was Catholic, we’re not, but the Sunday after she died, we made a point of going to her church anyway. It was part of our own private memorial to her.
We arrived a little early and took a seat in one of the back pews where we’d sit with my mom. I immediately started looking for them –the older couple Wayne had spotted the first Sunday we’d gone with my mom.
“Aren’t they cute?” he’d leaned over and whispered in my ear that first morning.
I nodded my agreement.
They were probably in their late 70s, standing side by side holding hands as the priest entered. They were about the same height, which wasn’t very tall. They weren’t wearing flashy clothes or doing anything to draw attention to themselves. They were just one of those sweet couples you can’t help but notice because their love for each other is so pure and deep. And obvious.
We saw that couple every Sunday. Sometimes we’d see them walking in –always hand in hand. But if we got there after them, all we’d have to do is look at their spot to find them. They always sat in the same area.
Wayne and I kind of made it a game. Whoever spotted them first would say, “They’re here again.” Or, “There they are.” Then we’d give the other’s hand or knee a little squeeze.
So that’s what I did when I looked over and saw them. I reached for Wayne’s hand, squeezed it, and said, “They’re here.”
I don’t know why we always looked for them. I don’t know why we both teared up that last morning when we saw them. The church was filled with tons of other couples, ones who attended just as regularly and who I’m sure were as equally as devoted to one another.
For some reason that older couple stood out to us. Maybe because they were so unassuming. Maybe because they just looked so content to be with one another. Maybe because when Wayne and I get old and gray, we hope we’ll still be that tight.
Or maybe it’s because we assume they have a great love story. It could be they’ve been together 50 years –or are newlyweds. Either way, they make being in love look like how it should be –a romance that never dies, that never fails, that never grows weary, but only gets stronger.
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