The best thing to hold on to in life is each other.  -Audrey Hepburn

Life is full of great stories.  They come to us in many ways.  So tonight.  I have a fine story about my Mom & Dad.  This, on the Eve of Valentine’s Day.   You see, my Mom & Dad are still very much in love at the age of 90.  Cute in love.  Loopy in love.

Not so very long ago, they changed their place of residence.  Until recently, they had been living on their own in a condo.  Now they reside in an Assissted Living Facility.

The other day, in the Dining Room during lunch, another woman joined us. Another resident.  Her name is Esther.  I made a joke about she and I sitting together, and being Polly Esther.  She smiled politely.

Anyways.

Esther… a youngster at 86…. was friendly and engaging. The four of us were having nice conversations about growing up in Dayton, Ohio.

Midway through the meal, Mom reaches over, and pats Dad on the arm.  She says to him… “I love you Paul.”  Dad smile back and returns the affectionate exchange.  Then… Mom looks Esther squarely in the eye…furrows her brow….  and says… “You know, Paul and I have been happily married for 66 years.”

Now I don’t know about you… but I can read between the lines.  And I guess she told Esther, right then and there.

Esther has not joined us for lunch since.

Yep.  Mom & Dad are still so very much in love.  After so many years.  Their first kiss was on Valentine’s Day in 1946.  They were married a year later… on the 15th of February.   It is amazing to see two people so crazy about one another… after nearly 7 decades.  Most would say.. that it is amazing that they are still so in love… in spite of it all.

Yet… I think they are still so happily together… BECAUSE of it ALL.

“Love is composed of one sole inhabiting two bodies.”  -Aristotle