THE CARD
I'm looking at
“The Card”
It's a Father’s Day card. I picked it out for myself.
The effects of dementia are gradually debilitating my wife, my lifelong marriage partner. I used to depend upon her to lovingly and thoughtfully forge a path of remembrance to every special event, holiday, anniversary and birthday, with care and joy. She can’t do that any more. I never wish to exaggerate her condition, but her memory of such things is little by little being pillaged, robbed and destroyed.
Today I bought my own Father’s Day card. These days, I do the same on my birthday, Valentine’s and anniversary. But, back to “The Card.” I stood in the gift card isle of the store. “Father’s Day,” the gift card section said. I grabbed a card that said, “To My Husband…” I didn’t read it. I just saw the top part of the card and grabbed it. I thought I might surprise myself for her.
With the card now in hand, I sat down with her and told her that I had this Father’s Day card for me, from her. I asked her, “What would you like to tell me on Father’s Day?” She thought a minute, trying to grasp the meaning of my words. She said, “What would we do without you?” So I wrote in the card, “What would we do without Dad?”
“What else would you like say?” She strained to coble together a thought; piece together a sentence that made sense to her. I helped her out a little. “Ah, you are the love of my life?”
“Yes,” she said.
We laughed as I told her that actually I was the only love of her life. It got a little silly, “Of course, I am the love of your life. I’m really a pretty special guy.” We laughed. Then I wrote, “You are the love of my life. I love you!”
I asked, “How about a couple smiley faces? You always like to do smiley faces.” She smiled and affirmed that was what she wanted to do. I drew two smiley faces and wrote,
“Happy Father’s Day, Love, ”
I put “The Card” in the envelope without reading it. Then, later on at a gathering of our children and grandchildren, I opened the card and read the whole thing as if I’d never seen it.
It’s a new season of love for us. Pretty sure I know how it might end. I know what season we’re in. I’m trusting God in this season. I’m embracing this season as from God’s hand. I will honor God in this season. I will honor the woman, the lifelong partner God has given to me and to our family. I signed up for this some 50 years ago.
- Anonymous
