handwritten sentiments. He checked the date. The card wasn’t old. Which meant . . . when she wrote it she might’ve just had the first signs that her cancer had returned.
He steadied his hands and found the first line.
Dearest John,
How blessed I am to be celebrating another year of your life. Even the act of buying this card made me smile, because I never take the years for granted. Never.
John ran his finger over the words and pictured Elizabeth browsing the cards, looking for one with plenty of white space. He kept reading.
I think of how many couples don’t get the years God has given us, and I am grateful beyond words. Because you’ve spent your years defining life for me, John. The way you laugh with me and hold my hand on our long Sunday afternoon walks. In some ways with you it feels like we never get a day older. But that’s what birthdays are for, I guess. Little reminders that as good as this is, it won’t last forever.
John’s throat felt thick. Had she known about the return of her cancer when she wrote this? He looked at the framed photo of the two of them, the one that had stood on their dresser for as long as he could remember. No, Elizabeth . . . it won’t last forever.
He found his place again.
And so my wish for you this year comes from Deuteronomy, my love. You know it, because you’ve shared it with me and the kids so many times. Here it is: “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”
We’re not as young as we once were, and I want you to know, whatever happens in the years to come, you must choose life. We both must. Every day we wake up with another twenty-four hours.
Happy birthday, sweetheart.
I love you always.
Elizabeth
Choose life?
A shiver ran down John’s arms as he reread that last part. She was referring to their lives together; she must’ve been. But that’s not how her words came across now, in light of the day’s events. Whatever happens in the years to come, you must choose life. . . .
John lowered the card to his lap and closed his eyes. This had happened before—times when he needed wisdom, when he was missing Elizabeth, and God had led him to one of her letters, the exact one he needed to find peace. But this . . .
He opened his eyes and found her photo again. Had she known? Had she imagined a time down the road when she might no longer be here and he would need more than anything to hear this very Bible verse?
He returned the card to the envelope and placed it at the top of the stack of letters to be copied. Her picture was calling to him, so he went to it and took it in his hands. Her eyes were just as he remembered them, blue enough to fall into. She was like no other woman, no other friend or lover he would ever have.
But she was gone.
And her letter reminded him of what he desperately needed to hold on to. The knowledge that Elizabeth would’ve wanted him to do exactly what he’d done today—share his feelings with Elaine, tell her about his intentions, allow himself to move forward. In that moment he knew what Elizabeth would be doing if somewhere in heaven she could know the intentions he had toward a woman who had been one of her friends.
She’d be smiling.
Ashley babysat for little Ryan Junior the morning Kari went in for her ultrasound. The minutes passed slowly even though Devin and RJ kept her busy. Kari was having a girl. Ashley would’ve bet on it. They both were. It was something she’d thought since the beginning.
Finally, just before noon, she watched Kari and Ryan pull up outside and climb out of the car. They were both grinning, and Kari hurried Ryan along. Ashley held her breath. RJ and Devin were sleeping, so she moved quietly from her place at the window to the entryway.
Kari’s words were out the moment Ashley opened the door. “We’re having a girl!” Kari rushed inside and hugged her; then just as quickly she drew back and
He steadied his hands and found the first line.
Dearest John,
How blessed I am to be celebrating another year of your life. Even the act of buying this card made me smile, because I never take the years for granted. Never.
John ran his finger over the words and pictured Elizabeth browsing the cards, looking for one with plenty of white space. He kept reading.
I think of how many couples don’t get the years God has given us, and I am grateful beyond words. Because you’ve spent your years defining life for me, John. The way you laugh with me and hold my hand on our long Sunday afternoon walks. In some ways with you it feels like we never get a day older. But that’s what birthdays are for, I guess. Little reminders that as good as this is, it won’t last forever.
John’s throat felt thick. Had she known about the return of her cancer when she wrote this? He looked at the framed photo of the two of them, the one that had stood on their dresser for as long as he could remember. No, Elizabeth . . . it won’t last forever.
He found his place again.
And so my wish for you this year comes from Deuteronomy, my love. You know it, because you’ve shared it with me and the kids so many times. Here it is: “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”
We’re not as young as we once were, and I want you to know, whatever happens in the years to come, you must choose life. We both must. Every day we wake up with another twenty-four hours.
Happy birthday, sweetheart.
I love you always.
Elizabeth
Choose life?
A shiver ran down John’s arms as he reread that last part. She was referring to their lives together; she must’ve been. But that’s not how her words came across now, in light of the day’s events. Whatever happens in the years to come, you must choose life. . . .
John lowered the card to his lap and closed his eyes. This had happened before—times when he needed wisdom, when he was missing Elizabeth, and God had led him to one of her letters, the exact one he needed to find peace. But this . . .
He opened his eyes and found her photo again. Had she known? Had she imagined a time down the road when she might no longer be here and he would need more than anything to hear this very Bible verse?
He returned the card to the envelope and placed it at the top of the stack of letters to be copied. Her picture was calling to him, so he went to it and took it in his hands. Her eyes were just as he remembered them, blue enough to fall into. She was like no other woman, no other friend or lover he would ever have.
But she was gone.
And her letter reminded him of what he desperately needed to hold on to. The knowledge that Elizabeth would’ve wanted him to do exactly what he’d done today—share his feelings with Elaine, tell her about his intentions, allow himself to move forward. In that moment he knew what Elizabeth would be doing if somewhere in heaven she could know the intentions he had toward a woman who had been one of her friends.
She’d be smiling.
Ashley babysat for little Ryan Junior the morning Kari went in for her ultrasound. The minutes passed slowly even though Devin and RJ kept her busy. Kari was having a girl. Ashley would’ve bet on it. They both were. It was something she’d thought since the beginning.
Finally, just before noon, she watched Kari and Ryan pull up outside and climb out of the car. They were both grinning, and Kari hurried Ryan along. Ashley held her breath. RJ and Devin were sleeping, so she moved quietly from her place at the window to the entryway.
Kari’s words were out the moment Ashley opened the door. “We’re having a girl!” Kari rushed inside and hugged her; then just as quickly she drew back and
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