Monday, November 1, 2010

What is love?

"Love is the thing that enables a woman to sing while she mops up the floor after her husband has walked across it in his barn boots." ~Author unknown, as printed in The Hoosier Farmer

The above quote reminds me of many farm wives, but most especially my friend's mom, Debby, who just lost her husband of 32 years to a heart attack. Debby and Cliff were best friends and would remind each other daily of this, as well as their love for one another. Like every couple, I am sure their share of bad times, but the love Debby had and still has for Cliff emanates from her very being. On one level, it is reassuring to see that such a love can and does exist, but on another, it is heartbreaking to know the depths of Debby's pain.

The last several days have reminded me that life is short and we should make sure our loved ones know they are loved. Furthermore, speaking with Debby made me realize it is possible to love and be loved for the duration of a marriage - no matter how long that marriage may last. Although I wonder if love is like an hourglass and every couple has a different amount of sand. Sometimes the sand doesn't last nearly as long as it's expected, for one reason or another.

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