It is January 15th, 2020, And where She is, it is the 10th of December 2019

I came across this endearing letter and thought it prudent to share, I won’t be mentioning the lady’s name as the contents of her letter is more important than the name of the messenger. She writes, that, there is no tree sparkling with ornaments and lights. Neither are there any gifts waiting to be opened. And as unthinkable as it may sound, no groceries were bought, and there was no 2019 Christmas dinner planned.

A BAD DREAM

As she has aged she’s come to expect the inevitable of losing the ones she loved and have cherished along life’s journey. But, she was utterly unprepared for what happened just two weeks before Christmas, 2019. There was no way of being ready and that surely, what was happening to her, could not be real, and had to be a bad dream. 

STARING AT THE EMPTINESS ON THE BED

The bed they shared, the passionate love they made in it, the way they held each other as they talked just the other night, all gone. If an award was to be received, for aging she was now an elder expert. But, why does her young heart ache so bad each time she stares at the emptiness on the other side of the bed. She wasn’t done yet, they had plans to make, things to do, had their TV shows coming up in 2020 that they were excited to watch again together. 

SHE WAS NOT READY TO BE ALONE YET

His favorite snack is still in the cabinet, even now. Growing older together was what their future was about. It was their story, about them growing older together and they had accepted it because they loved being together so much and as in love as ever before. She was not ready to be alone this Christmas. The gift her husband had ordered for her arrived the day after her life crashed to pieces. 

SHE WILL CONTINUE TO LOVE HIM

She would open it, but not yet. deciding to save it and try to guess what it might be, savor the anticipation of his surprise. She has no way of knowing how to go on but she knows that she will and she will continue to age and she knows, she will continue to love him. Those two facts cannot be changed. Her hand still seeks him out in the middle of the night. And jolts awake every time when she finds nothing. For a brief moment, he’s with her then suddenly she feels the eternity of his absence.

TRULY THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

 How arrogant youth can be, thinking only they can love. While older people know how to give love and also how to receive love. They also know how to accept their partner just as they are. Older people accept willingly that the body changes. Their good looks are now only seen in memories and photographs. They have wrinkles and ailments and sagging where once were muscles. But growing older with someone you love dearly is truly the fountain of youth, as with you is the one you chose to be with, for the rest of your life. The person you fell in love with is still there, not the imperfections and not the age, there is nothing you want to change. It is December 10th, 2019 and he is gone. She thought they’d have a little longer.