Have you ever been in a situation when out of the blue – just when you least expect it – somebody near you does something that reminds you once more just how beautiful people truly are? This last week, it happened to a friend of mine. A good friend. He’s still profoundly touched by what some people did for him a few days ago. He doesn’t know how they did it. But they did it. Somehow.
My friend is in a very special kind of relationship. He and his wife adore each other. They’ve loved each other from the day they met. Each and every day, he feels blessed that they met. He thanks God for her every morning. And you can tell that they’ll always adore each other. But just a couple of weeks ago, my friend’s wife found out that her father had suddenly fallen very seriously ill. My friend’s wife immediately travelled to be with her father, and her entire family joined her there. They had all, very quickly, come long and far – from different cities and countries - to be with him and to all be together.
The father is a unique example of an amazing man. He is fun, sincere, intelligent, quietly loving, supportive, encouraging, inspirational, and naturally - without any self-fanfaring – the very father many men aspire to one day be. His family absolutely adore him and he truly adores his family. I know this father quite well – he is a pure gentleman and absolutely devoted to the love that flows in his family. I haven’t known many men like this.
With each day that has recently passed, the father’s situation has grown increasingly serious. So a week ago, my friend travelled to be with his wife by her father’s bedside. And when he got there, among the disbelief and fear, he could feel the love, togetherness and true passion that his wife’s beautiful family hold for their dear father. And as updates flowed in all week from the medical staff, the family held together, held strong, nourished each other’s love in constancy and did everything they could for each other.
One morning last week, the wife apologised to my friend - her husband. It was to be his birthday on Friday, and she’d arranged so many things for him. Surprise things. With friends. She’d in fact organised a whole day of lovely surprises. And she was now so sorry that it all had to be cancelled. And as my friend held his wife while she tried to apologise, he realised he’d completely forgotten about his birthday. He just didn’t care. He held his wife. All this man could think about was loving and supporting his wife, helping- and being there for her family and praying for her father. Bugger his birthday. His birthday could not have been more irrelevant.
And on Thursday evening, my friend was so focused on what his wife’s family needed that evening, that he missed it. He didn’t notice the briefest cheeky grin that his 6 year old, blue-eyed nephew was trying so very, very, VERY hard to hide.
On Friday, my friend awoke to his wife’s incredible love. The loveliest cards and presents were followed by a day with the family, hearing about the progress my friend’s wife’s father was making, not making, and trying so hard to make. And the family was again together. Supporting the father together, supporting each other together, talking, listening, encouraging, being the very love their family has created in this world. And after a tiring, long day, they decided to all head back home together. Some quiet time and a cup of tea.
********** S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E ! **********
As my friend walked through the door, there were grins everywhere. The nephews were grinning. The family were grinning. And as my friend saw the surprise birthday celebration the family had somehow secretly arranged – with the most fantastic birthday buffet waiting – my friend realised that he too was grinning. As the ‘Happy Birthday!’s were yelled, as the champagne glasses were raised, as the candles were blown out, as the wish was made, and as the chocolate birthday cake was cut, somehow, this beautiful family had found an evening to grin. There were grins, smiles and laughs. Somehow, they’d all found a way to spend the evening celebrating life.
Somehow, this beautiful family has held strong. Somehow, they’ve all come together straight away. Somehow, they’ve found the most beautiful way of nourishing their love for each other. Somehow, they’ve created the strongest connection of love through this. Somehow, they’ve held true. And somehow, amid all this, they somehow celebrated a birthday. Somehow.
We human beings are stunning creatures. Somehow, we learn to talk. Somehow, we learn to walk. Somehow, we overcome the challenges of the past. And somehow, when the sky turns dark, we find the most incredible way of bringing something true, lasting and pure to the lives of others. Somehow, we find a way of helping others and somehow, despite life’s constant distractions, we can instinctively sense the core beauty of the people around us. Life isn’t permanent. But somehow, each one of us has the opportunity to create an eternal beauty in this world. It’s sitting inside each of us waiting – just itching - to be released. Somehow, we are capable of being so much more powerfully human than we often think and assume we can be.
Enjoy your life today. And tomorrow. And forever. :-)
Jonathan
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