The Parade

Today she is trying to talk on the telephone. Sometimes when you are a busy mom you just don't get to talk much and you get lonesome for some adult conversation. "Hello, how are you, I have so much to tell you"

All of a sudden you can hear many children in the back ground - they need immediate attention as if an emergency has just taken place and the only paramedic in a 50 mile radius is "MOM!!!!!"
"just a minuet she says to the phone"

"Okay, I love the recorder music, however, that can only be played outside. A recorder is not an inside instrument. It is meant to be used in a parade.
Listen up my friends, this is going to be fun!
JaciAnna you will play the recorder,
Conner, here is a coffee can and a spoon, you will play the drums.
I need the rest of the kids to line up behind them, put your hands together, clap and sing. Here is a pail for each of you, fill them up with grass. You can throw it to all those people here on the side of the driveway, they are here to watch your parade.
One on the firetruck, one on the Dora bike, get out some play clothes...
yes,
there we go - you got it!!!
Have fun every one!"

"Okay, hello, I'm back, did you want to come over and watch a parade?"

BROCCOLI

He has seen many women today already, asking if they were Dr.'s or nurses, each woman has told him that they were a nurse. Then finally after some waiting, and a whole lot of nurses, in walks the Dr. and he is a man. You can tell by his face that he is thinking. How does this place work anyway? All these women, taking my blood pressure, listening to my heart, asking if I need shots... he can't hold his voice any longer... he must talk...
"Are you the Dr. in this place?"
"Why yes, I am the Dr."
"Well, can I ask your opinion on something?"
"You most certainly can"
"Well, do you think that women should be Dr.'s?"
The Dr.laughs to himself, "yes, my opinion is that women make very good Dr.'s"
With the little guys mind spinning now he really needs to know...
"My poop is really hard... in your opinion, if I were an alligator would my poop be softer"
The Dr. answers "no, alligators are not known to have soft poop either. The best thing to do is drink lots of water, and eat a lot of fruit and vegetables... like carrots and broccoli."

Well that must be exactly what Conner needed to hear. He turns to his mother and very matter a factually states...

"MOM, WE WILL NEED TO GET SOME BROCCOLI".

RIVER OF LIFE

As she walks him down the halls of the apartment building, I can't help but feel how much love there is between them. He holds her hand, somehow in his mind she is familiar. As his brain cells get hardened by time, there isn't a lot that can be done. He holds her hand and when she needs to go "out" she gets someone to stay with him.
I watch this for a couple of years, talking to them each time I see them. "How's the weather, did you have a good day, how is your family, man it is cold out there, don't go out today - it is just to warm". As the seasons pass us by one day I am able to really see her, really see him. I take this moment to tell her "you take such wonderful care of your husband" she smiles, "well, he took such wonderful care of me for so many years, and he is not problem, he is such a good man"
he smiles... he really has no idea what she just said but he knows from her voice that she is kind and that she loves him. She has loved him through many miles, many turns and probably even a few mountains! He knows he is safe, he has come full circle with his wife of 50 some years.
The diagnosis comes and she has cancer, actually, they have never seen anything like it and can't believe that she has no pain. She is not afraid. The love of her life is happy somewhere else now... finding comfort in the caregivers that they now pay to take care of him. And the greatest love of her life has her future planned for her... He has gone ahead and prepared a place for her, a place with many rooms and streets of gold.
She settles in to her new home also, him down the hall from her. She is weak and can not talk, he walks to her room and peaks in... you see, he can't talk either. And there is no need for words as their eyes show the fluid color of blue, connecting the rivers of time. She takes his hand and holds it in hers... she tells him she loves him without saying a word - he embraces her with his arms never moving. To see a more beautiful display of love her on earth...
I don't think I ever will.
The Lord Blessed me to know this couple. I have learned a new unconditional love, I have seen a deep faith, and a river of life is flowing as she begins her walk on the streets of gold.