Last night we went to the hospital, my father-in-law was thought to have had another stroke. It came back that he didn't, but they still do not know what caused him to pass out. They decided to keep him overnight and the room was full of visitors checking on him. There he laid, TV on, but with no sound. He is immobile now and has been for some time. The room is alive with chatter, but first, the back drop.
I'm not sure just how long they have been married but I'm guessing sixty or more years. There is much I don't know about them. Glen served in Korea and while he honorably remembers, he does so with humility. He ended up in what we now call the Morgue where part of his job was also gathering missing parts. He sees it as a service and was his duty, nothing more, nothing less. He was a Deacon in his church and a Bible School teacher for many years. Grew a garden that was for the eye to behold
Iris, his wife, was in a horrible wreck when my wife was young. They were hit head on in a curve. Her throat was crushed so she speaks with a coarse and raspy voice. She is head strong. They both worked, to my knowledge, only one job... American Enka. After the wreck she could not return to work, so she stayed home, where she made their clothes, quilts, and kept the home in order. Like Glen, she is of few words.
So as the room was filled with chatter, I watched Glen through the corner of my eye. He scanned the room fixing briefly at his daughters Glenda and Denise, then at Iris, locking in. This smile came across his face. Nobody really noticed, self included. From the chatter a raspy voice said, "I like that". Glen smiled a little bigger. "I really like that smile Glen, I like that smile". The room silenced as we all began to notice and hear Iris's low raspy voice. Glen's smile grew even bigger. "I miss that smile".
Now this wasn't like a Hollywood moment, nothing nasty was exchanged, no tainted nothing, no fake. The words might sound like they were understated. Oh, but if you could have seen the eyes in both of them, they screamed volumes. Iris and Glen had this true love just beaming out of each other. Not the fake stuff in movies, the real stuff, and I say stuff because it was a mixture of emotions that spewed out. Love was one but just as strong was contentment as well as peace, completion, dignity, and kindness. Glen loves to please Iris and Iris desires to please Glen in a pure, wholesome way. The two have not become one they are one, each living for the other.
Men were, and some still are, not seduced by glamor or other ladies. I've never heard Glen say, just as I never heard dad say, but they serve the Lord first and their spouse second, followed closely by their children, family, friends, country... they are last. Iris seems to have the same line-up. All great people have that line-up that I have met. Now here is the thing. All, and I mean all, have lived their life, even through hardship at times, in peace and contentment. They will tell you they have always had enough with never a hole to fill.
I'm not sure just how long they have been married but I'm guessing sixty or more years. There is much I don't know about them. Glen served in Korea and while he honorably remembers, he does so with humility. He ended up in what we now call the Morgue where part of his job was also gathering missing parts. He sees it as a service and was his duty, nothing more, nothing less. He was a Deacon in his church and a Bible School teacher for many years. Grew a garden that was for the eye to behold
Iris, his wife, was in a horrible wreck when my wife was young. They were hit head on in a curve. Her throat was crushed so she speaks with a coarse and raspy voice. She is head strong. They both worked, to my knowledge, only one job... American Enka. After the wreck she could not return to work, so she stayed home, where she made their clothes, quilts, and kept the home in order. Like Glen, she is of few words.
So as the room was filled with chatter, I watched Glen through the corner of my eye. He scanned the room fixing briefly at his daughters Glenda and Denise, then at Iris, locking in. This smile came across his face. Nobody really noticed, self included. From the chatter a raspy voice said, "I like that". Glen smiled a little bigger. "I really like that smile Glen, I like that smile". The room silenced as we all began to notice and hear Iris's low raspy voice. Glen's smile grew even bigger. "I miss that smile".
Now this wasn't like a Hollywood moment, nothing nasty was exchanged, no tainted nothing, no fake. The words might sound like they were understated. Oh, but if you could have seen the eyes in both of them, they screamed volumes. Iris and Glen had this true love just beaming out of each other. Not the fake stuff in movies, the real stuff, and I say stuff because it was a mixture of emotions that spewed out. Love was one but just as strong was contentment as well as peace, completion, dignity, and kindness. Glen loves to please Iris and Iris desires to please Glen in a pure, wholesome way. The two have not become one they are one, each living for the other.
Men were, and some still are, not seduced by glamor or other ladies. I've never heard Glen say, just as I never heard dad say, but they serve the Lord first and their spouse second, followed closely by their children, family, friends, country... they are last. Iris seems to have the same line-up. All great people have that line-up that I have met. Now here is the thing. All, and I mean all, have lived their life, even through hardship at times, in peace and contentment. They will tell you they have always had enough with never a hole to fill.
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