“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” ———- Jesus
“My grandparents Laura and Howard have been married 73 years. In this video Howard is 92 and Laura is 93. Laura (Grandma) is at a hospice facility making peace with her final days. I was lucky enough to capture this precious, heart-melting moment between the two of them. Howard (Grandpa) is singing to her their love song, the song that comforted her when he went away to fight in World War II”
“At family gatherings, it was not uncommon for the two of them to sing this song together, each taking a verse and serenading the other. In fact, after fifty years of marriage, they renewed their vows and performed this song as a duet for the entire family at the reception. Sadly, Grandma is now too weak to sing, but that doesn’t stop her from saying the words to him (see at 1:00). Howard then takes over for her and sings the rest of the song to her while stroking her face.”
“Moments before this video began, when Grandma heard that Grandpa was in the room, she asked if she could hold him. Grandpa cannot stand on his own, but he immediately pulled his wheelchair close to her bed ready to make it happen. My cousin, Serena, who is a physical therapist, helped him to his feet and held him up throughout the entire song.”
“You might notice above her bed there is a sign that says, “Patient Blind.” That is because she has macular degeneration, so she cannot see much of anything but shadows and light. That doesn’t stop her from looking deep into her love’s eyes. Grandpa, on the other hand, has lost most of his hearing, so you’ll notice us repeating things for him since Grandma is to weak to raise her voice.”
If that doesn’t bring a tear to your eyes you are not human.
Bob.
Very moving testament to true love. Bless them both: what more can one say?
You made me cry. I’m glad that everyone is still asleep.
Last night our youngest had one of the most epic meltdowns any of our children has ever had over going to bed. My wife and I were enjoying ourselves on our date night and he was in on the conversation and simply didn’t want to go up to his room. It ended with me laying beside him until he fell asleep and when I came down my wife and I just stood there in the kitchen in the dark holding onto each other.
Too many people in this world simply do not understand the countless thankless tasks that go into a lifetime of love; the labor, the minutiae, the scut work, the sadness and the drudgery of handling everything that life demands if you try to live it with meaning and commitment. Sometimes it ends with just the two of you standing in the darkness alone together, but the love keeps pouring out, overwhelming everything else.
Clearly your Grandparents were so blessed. You were more than fortunate to have witnessed that, you were blessed.
Please send them my fondest regards and tell them they looked perfect together.
“You made me cry,” ——— hardscrabble farmer
Video had the same effect on me.
But, they are not my grandparents. It’s a youtube cut and paste. I put the narrative in quotes … and I never quote myself. lol Sorry, I should have made it more clear ….
You suck.
I thought that was your family.
Still touching, but you suck. You owe me a Kleenex.
My dad’s parents had this love. Grandma had diabetes and other health problems her entire life. She was sure she would never spend a moment on this earth without her beloved.
As life often does, it took grandpa first.
My grandma was so absolutely devastated she wouldn’t/couldn’t even attend the funeral.
After his passing she barely ate, which due to her weight issues/diabetes, extended her life.
I have always felt blessed to have been an observer of a love like that. And I’ve always been a little sad that the odds of me knowing what that feels like diminish with every passing year.
Thank you Stuck, beautiful reminder of my long past beloved grandparents.
Well, whoever they are, I am what we call in Spanish “healthily jealous”. Been married twice, hope to go round once more and only wish I could have done a better job in the first marriage with the mother of my kids. A lifelong love like that in the video is a pearl beyond price, but if it escapes you, any love that lasts until the end will do. I hope each and every one of you (me included!) can go out that way!
If you’re aren’t busy being born, you’re busy dying. Good post..