Valentines Day

The ministerial alliance of the town I serve in holds an annual Golden Sweetheart Banquet for those couples married 50 years or more. This banquet is held on the Tuesday before Valentines Day and has become a tradition in our community over the many years. This year we had almost 150 people in attendance.

I do believe this last one was the most special one yet. One of the local choir masters accompanied an excellent vocalist as she sang songs these couples would have heard when they were courting.

Standing off to the side I observed a couple across the banquet hall. The husband had his oxygen tank with him and from time to time he would reach over and pat his wife’s hand. Finally, on the last song, the husband took off the oxygen tube and stood up. He leaned over and whispered something in his wife’s ear. She looked up at him for a split second. Then he held his hand out to her and she got up, embraced him, and they danced.

It was only for a few seconds because the husband needed to get back to his oxygen, yet, it spanned 50 years and more. It was magical. It was a confirmation that love does last; that if you spend your time picking the right one, you won’t ever get tired of them. I do know this couple, but I don’t know them well. Yet, they have inspired me. It was truly the most romantic thing I have ever seen because it wasn’t scripted, it wasn’t planned, and it was totally from the heart. It was just the two of them. None of the rest of us mattered. It was just like it was 50+ years ago on their wedding day, just like yesterday.

Happy Valentines Day,

Pastor Craig