Walking the garden paths of the Boerner Gardens, near Milwaukee, will always be one of my fondest memories. At the time, I didn’t realize that soon the events that followed would forever change the way I would think of life. I was about to receive a wonderful gift. I remember passing through the wonderful smells of the Peony Garden and then into the Rose Garden. Petals were littered everywhere, and the sun shone off the pools of water in the center. High stone and wooden pillars were covered with colorful rosebuds reaching for the sky. This was my first visit to this garden. I was alone, and I ached to share the wonder around me. I snapped a thousand pictures with my camera. There was so much to see, so much I wanted to remember, so much to later share.
Earlier in the day, I had run for shelter from sudden raindrops that had appeared out of nowhere. I was soon able to venture out again, anxious to explore more of this garden’s paradise. Just as I walked under the shadows of a huge mature tree, the rain began again in earnest. There was a damp chill in the air, but under the massive tree I was protected from the onslaught of water. As I pulled my sweatshirt a little closer around me, an older couple joined me under the protective tree. They were laughing together, hands clasped tightly together, and it was easy to see the love they shared with one another. My first thought was how very lucky this couple was.
The rain continued to fall, and it felt as though we were locked away in a secret place separate from the rest of the world. We laughed about the weather, exclaimed about the beauty around us, and enjoyed the wonderful smells the rain had enhanced. I silently listened as they shared their beautiful love story with me. They had met when he was stationed in her South American country. Her friend was tutoring him in the local language. During the lessons, it was hard to concentrate, finding himself staring at his teacher’s beautiful friend. Her wonderful accent and smile made it easy to see why he had been attracted to her.
As the rain continued to fall, the story followed of their dating in a very protective community, and the years of marriage that followed. They were blessed with one child who went on to make them exceedingly proud. They had grandchildren they clearly adored. I thought this must be one of the luckiest couples in the world. Just then he continued to say that they had just come from the doctor’s office, before coming to the gardens, and that he only had weeks to live. I shook my head in disbelief. This couple in front of me, with all the joy in their eyes, had just been given this news? I couldn’t stop myself from asking how could this be so. Everything about them spoke of life. This garden that they had come to love, was their very next stop. He wanted to walk the gravel paths, hold her hand, and enjoy this special time they were given.
I listened as they explained to me that they knew they had been given the gift of a life together. That they had been blessed beyond belief. Then he softly said that to ask for even one more day would be selfish. For whatever reason, I was given a gift that day. For under the shelter of that tree, with its outstretched branches, I was a part of their special love, a part of their story. They had shared this very precious time with me. I don’t remember their names, but I will never forget them, nor forget what they gave me. Because of them I will try to remember that every day is a gift. That every moment is to be treasured. And to always, always be grateful for my blessings
Originally published in Bottom Line News & Views, November 2016