The line to be served reached the door when I entered the local coffee house today. Two more house showings and not wanting to be to far from home, lunch and free WI-fi sounded like a good idea. Church was out and family after family stood patiently in line for their Sunday meal.
In front of me was an elderly couple waiting for their chance to order. After a few short minutes and nearly to the register, the elderly woman, standing gingerly with her walker, grew weary and wanted to sit down.
Her husband, concerned, slowly pointed to where she should sit to rest while he waited to order. As she began to walk, she recognized a couple near her and headed their way. Talking to the couple as if they were old friends, they looked at each other perplexed.
The husband exclaimed, "Oh No Honey!" with the breathy rasp of old age in his voice. He swiftly left the line to save the couple from the unknown intrusion and slowly guided her to an open seat in the very back of the restaurant.
As I glanced back on the crowd of faces, a growing look of concern flashed in unison. The next person in line stepped forward as the line moved and I stopped myself from closing the gap. Expecting anger and impatience from the massive crowd behind me since the line now far extending past the first lobby door almost out of the restaurant, the crowd stood still and watched.
One of the three cashiers opened up and I was technically the next person to order with the elderly couple no longer in front of me. Noticing the three young children with the couple behind me, I asked them if they wanted to go ahead of me while I waited for the man to return. They refused and so did the couple after them.
The cashier stopped asking to help the next in line when he noticed the crowds focus. The entire line of people watched the man remove his wife's coat, guide her in her chair and kiss her on the cheek while softly caressing her hand before moving to the front of the restaurant once again. Confused not knowing where he was in line, he headed to the very back. Unplanned but surprisingly together, the crowd and I guided him to where he was once standing. Grateful, he took his order, paid and moved down the line to gather his food.
By this time, I had a chance to order and waited with him. He glanced over to me and rasped with effort, "Thanks for saving an old man's spot!"
I smiled and said, "No problem" and watched as his many plates come up for pick up. About to offer to help him bring the plates to his seat, the manager and two of the cooks left their stations and assisted the man to his seat.
I sat near the elderly couple unintentionally as the place had few spaces left to sit. Not focused on them at first as I started eating and plugged in my laptop, I couldn't help but notice the obvious sitting in front of me.
They ate in silence. She gazed blankly out the window and he watched her unaware of anyone sitting nearby. He guided her hand as it shook uncontrollably, wiped her face clean and assisted her with dignity throughout the meal.
I couldn't help but wonder to myself, is this unconditional true love the princess and knight and shining armor stories talk about? Here was a man that cared more about showing his ailing wife love than to hurry back to a spot in line in a busy restaurant. He showered her with affection even when he received nothing in return.
Not even recognition.
I have struggled for years to find a connection with someone that shares even the smallest qualities of this interaction. Thinking I had finally found it only to be wrong? One starts to believe that perhaps not everyone is meant to have it. Maybe we are here to learn specific things about life and only some of us souls are lucky enough to reach a point in our existence to share such a profound ability to love and be cared for?
I mean, we all have a role to play in the world. Each role is so different and although we may strive to be the same or similar to the other, not everyone can get it right or even SHOULD get it right.
Furthermore; who's to say being in a loving committed relationship is the right path for anyone? In today's stereotypical society, it might be the ultimate goal for most. However each individual? I beg to disagree.
To love or not to love, that is the question. Or perhaps the question should be poised, to allow love or not to allow love?
Either way your feel about it, you can't help but be in awe when you see love unadulterated and pure from people that have every reason to be angry, lost and ambivalent after so many years together CHOOSE to be kind to each other. Even in the face of great peril as with an illness such as Alzheimer's.
What I saw today was love; real true love from a dignified man of character and a bustling, chaotic restaurant came to a halt in the middle of a Sunday lunch hour to witness it with me.
It allowed me to see my 'unrealistic' yet very substantial dreams of love in a visual manner directly in front of me as if I were watching it on an old Hollywood film.
It took my breath away....