So This Is Love…
Cinderella found true love whilst dancing at the ball with her Prince Charming – just before the clock struck midnight and she had to make that mad dash down the staircase. She and her Prince even sang about it:
So this is love, mmm
So this is love
So this is what makes life divine
I'm all aglow, mmm
And now I know (and now I know)
The key to all heaven is mine
My heart has wings, mmm
And I can fly
I'll touch every star in the sky
So this is the miracle
That I've been dreaming of
Mmm, mmm
So this is love
Songwriters: Mack David / Al Hoffman / Jerry Livingston / David Pack
So This Is Love lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company
It’s just a little over 3 weeks before Valentine’s Day as I write this column on a cold and snowy Saturday morning. The television and radio commercials are touting they know EXACTLY the way to a woman’s heart and you should buy their wares. It’s the same thing with those annoying Internet ads that pop up when you are trying to get your Facebook news feed fix.
NEWSFLASH – the key to MY heart is not by purchasing a diamond, or for that matter ANY kind of jewelry. I don’t want to be wined and dined (but I wouldn’t turn down a Chef Boyardee pizza for dinner) and yeah, a box of Sarris Candies Salted Milk Caramels would warm my soul and make me very happy. Okay, the talk of chocolates made me veer off course let me do a U-turn and get back on track.
Sooooo… how does my guy sweep me off my feet after 35 years of marriage? I’ll share the secrets. Are you ready? Lean in real close because I am going to whisper all the juicy details. It’s random acts of love and kindness and he does them on a DAILY basis.
He takes the time on snowy mornings to shovel the sidewalk and clean off my car. He used to get me Slushy Pepsis until I gave up pop over 18 months ago – but I must confess to sneaking root beer in the past couple of months, so now he surprises me with some root beer. He hands me the remote (even though he does roll his eyes) and lets me watch chick flicks. And then he hands me the box of Kleenex so I can wipe my tears.
He does 98% of the cooking and a lot of the household chores. He sends me little heart emoticons in his texts to me. He says, “I love you” before we end our telephone conversations.
His ultimate gift of love? Dressing up in costumes for our grandchildren’s birthday parties. I am sure he is not a huge fan of doing this – but you would never know that fact because once that costume is on, he’s the ultimate showman! He’s groovin’ and movin’ and entertaining kids and adults.
He is also a true friend to others. Yeah dude, I’ve noticed how you maintain your friendships and am there for your friends. It makes my heart happy. You also are always there for your family – fixing things, lending a hand – just being there. I especially love his interaction with the grandkids: giving them horsy rides on his back (and then having to go to the chiropractor), having tea parties, picking raspberries and just sitting and reading and cuddling with them.
You’ve read about our pets over the years – Precious (the cat) will be 16 years old in March and Gunny (our beagle) turned 14 years old this past October. In November we learned from the Vet that Precious has congestive heart failure and just last week we got the crushing news that Gunny is in Stage 4 Kidney Failure. My spouse has taken on the task of being the caretaker for our pets. When others (coughMecough) would have given up and had the animals put to sleep, he has lovingly cared for them and has never given up on them. He administers fluids to Gunny on a daily basis now and cleans up their messes (ok, we all do that) and coaxes them to eat. The cat was given only weeks to live, yet she’s still here and gaining some weight and has some of her old spunk and sass back. Gunny has perked up a little as well.
Yes, all of this is love and what I’ve been dreaming of and it makes life divine. You’re a good man, Charlie Brown and I’m so happy that you’re mine. (Insert a heart emoticon here.)