Blurred vision

Today the kids and I were scheduled to leave for the family beach house in Monterey for my family's family reunion. As the day unfolded, however, life happened and it was made very clear that we would NOT be leaving today.

You know how those days go when you have to be somewhere at a certain time...say, on the road by noon so you can get to Monterey at a decent hour? It never happens, right? Because inevitably, everything else happens instead. That's exactly what went down at our house this morning.

As a result, I was feeling, shall we say, severely flustered and totally deflated. My vision was blurred as all I could see was everything crashing down around me (except the torch lamp - that had come crashing down around Lucy earlier in the day. She is just fine, thank goodness...wish I could say the same for the lamp...)

I was pretty much resigned to locking myself in my bedroom (with this slice of cake that my dear friend brought me last night) and letting the kids duke it out on their own, when I quickly realized that no one had eaten lunch. And lunch was well past-due.

So at 2:00, I loaded the kids up in the car and we headed to Costco for an indulgent lunch of hot dogs, pizza, ice cream, and a churro (for good measure). I had no way of knowing how blessed I would be in that little food court.

While we were enjoying both our lunch and our new found freedom from the daily schedule, an elderly gentlemen carefully pushed his wheelchair-bound wife up to the table next to us, locked her wheels, and then went to stand in line for their food. I was shocked to find myself drawn to observing this tiny, frail, hunched-over, and beautiful elderly woman. There was a lovely countenance about her and I could not stop glancing her way. I'm not sure what her condition was, but it was apparent that she wasn't well as she was quietly talking to herself and making what seemed to be involuntary movements with her neck, arms, and legs.

Her husband arrived back at the table shortly later and from then on, I was glued (nonchalantly, of course:) ) to watching this amazing couple. I watched as the man carefully and very purposefully wiped the table clean, gently unfolded a napkin and tucked it into her shirt, set out her food, and began to feed her lunch. I watched as he talked, ever so gently, with her and then I smiled as I saw him lean into her so that he could hear what she had to say. Every so often, he would take a bite of his own lunch, but there was no question that his first concern was her. It was truly a privilege to see this couple in action.

My vision was blurred again, but this time because I was looking through tears of joy and gratitude. I was reminded, as I so needed to be, of what this life is truly about. It isn't about schedules, being places, and doing. Its about people, being with them, and being there for them. Its about loving people, letting them love us, and letting that love make us more like our Father in Heaven. Plain and simple.

Mine and Brian's anniversary is nigh upon us and as such, I am particularly grateful for today's experience. I was reminded of how much I love that amazing man of mine and how excited I am to spend this life, and the eternities to come, with him. When I told him of my "costco experience," as we've dubbed it, and told him that that could be us in 40 years, he commented that he wasn't sure if he'd like to be the one tucking the napkin, or the one having it tucked. I responded that it didn't really matter to me, because regardless of which chair we filled, we would be there together. He agreed.

I am so grateful that my vision was blurred this morning so I could be led to that little food court and have it blurred again, for the right reasons.

Image by