INSPIRASUNS

If you’ve followed this little blog for very long, you know that I have the pleasure of working with a 65+ senior golf group. They hold two outings a year, and I oversee the planning of those events and the general operations of the group. I’ve made some wonderful friends, many of whom have been with the club since its early days. Did I mention that it formed in 1964 🙂 .

I’ve shared here before the story about one of the long-time members of the group. A lovely couple who have been married for more than 60 years (admittedly, I don’t know the exact years), but I know it’s been a very long time. They are so wonderful together, and John takes such good care of Karen. You see, she has dementia, but he hasn’t let that stop them from living life together.

At our fall outing last year, I spent quite a bit of time with Karen and John. Even through the haze of the disease, I could see the spark in Karen’s eyes, her little impish grin, and, more importantly, the love and trust she had in John.

Unfortunately, Karen’s condition has progressed to the point that John needed additional help. Even though Karen resides in a memory care facility, John is just minutes away in his own condo on the same campus. He sees Karen every day, and just yesterday I had a wonderful conversation with him. We are making arrangements for the spring golf outing, which John will attend for the first time without Karen. He was sharing how he had taken his lovely wife out to lunch the day before. I asked how she did, and he replied, “She did wonderfully”. It was then that he broke down and shared that it was so difficult to take her back because she didn’t want him to leave. Even through the haze of the disease, Karen still knows the love and trust for her soulmate.

John and Karen live only an hour or so from me, and this weekend John is going to try to take her for a ride. I look forward to seeing her, even though she may not remember who I am. I wish I had known her before the disease, but even though I didn’t, I see clearly the woman she was. The example of true and inspirational love is seen in her eyes and her actions every time I see her with John.

Friends, I share this story this morning as a reminder of the gift that Father gave Adam oh so long ago. The gift that has resulted in marriages such as John and Karen’s. The gift that allows love to grow so deep it can overcome the ugliest of diseases. Cherish His gifts, friends.

Have a wonderful day, everyone 🙂 .

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.