An interesting thing happened to me this morning as I sat down at the computer to send a follow up email to a couple I counceled last night....THE SKYPE PHONE RANG and guess who it was on my screen singing ....."Happy Birthday" to me.... in French and in a voice very similiar to Sam's in "childhood mode"
.....Little Eloise (and her Dad!)
.....It began with the first appearance of the first legitimate spontaneous smile from Eloise....and it happened so unexpectedly......but I became emotionally overwhelmed and burst into tears....(Maybe I AM getting old..!!)
.....it was her looking at me like this that did it! It can probably best be expressed by the email I sent Sam following the call......What a way to start my BIRTHday!
A call and love from my son and granddaughter.
I experienced a very surprising response to seeing you and Eloise this morning….
I burst into tears ……and actually am continuing to cry even as I type.
It has to do with love, I know.
It has to do with the fact that I spent 4 hours in Columbus last night with a couple whose
marriage has come unglued. Both have been unfaithful to each other and
as I try to help them each to "Seek first to understand…and then
be understood.." I become mentally and emotionally invested in the
process.
The results when I do this with couples is that I drive away
from their house and experience a DEEP DEEP renewed love for my wife
and my family....... So when I came to the computer this morning to email
them a follow up letter….and you and Eloise were here to greet me and
extend your love…..it "put me emotionally over the edge" so to speak!
You know how much you guys love Eloise….
I….we… love you and Mel AND Eloise the same...... except we have had years of life experiences…both positive and negative in which our love has GROWN.
....And here we are…both 62 years young and loving you and our family with all our hearts!
The call was an expression and outreach of your love for me (us) and
know it is appreciated!
God is Love
Dad
I want to quote the beginning and the end of a book/poem by Gloria Gaither titled, "When Did I start to Love You?" which I have read to Pat on numerous occasions.....
"Does love have a beginning that a meeting's measured by?
Does it happen in a moment like white lighting from the sky?
Can you tell me its dimensions - just this wide and just this high?
When did I start to love you?"
"What is the stuff love's made of that can cause the world to glow?
Is it that you made the segments that I brought you, well and whole?
Was it when I came to recognize the poet in your soul
That I began to love you?"
It's not of lace and choclate that valentines are made-
All such things are lovely but disintgrate and fade.
But love - when once it grows to be - is richer far than jade -
I only Know I love you!
I am a very rich man.....I've found love!
2 comments:
Bill (& Sam & Mel) - she is adorable! Blogging is so great - I get to watch your grandkids (including my look-alike Zoe) grow up too - from hundreds of miles away. Glad to hear you had a nice birthday and thanks for the phone call. By the way, Dustin passed his broker's license test yesterday. Have a super Sunday!
What a wonderful post - a real gift of blessing to read your words! I wish you a very happy belated birthday - I've been too busy and too sick to do much blog-reading or commenting, so I've missed a good bit here.
That baby girl is GORGEOUS! I find that I am anticipating the joy of grandparenting; hopefully I have a few years to go (with my eldest only 16), but I sense that expansion of love that seizes your heart must be unlike any other.
Hope things continue to go well with your counseling. Keep in touch!
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