Feelin' the Love

What do you do when you're home alone on Valentine's Day and your "sweetheart" is 4500 miles away? Such was my dilemma today. Dave is in Poland for a few weeks and I'm holding down the fort. Since our children are all grown and away, it's me, myself, and I for 15 days. I'm learning a lot about what life is like for those who live alone.

But before you go feeling all sorry for me ... You can imagine my surprise when the doorbell rang at 9am and there on the step was a nice lady holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. "For me??" Yes, from my beloved husband. What a guy! I was feelin' the love ...

Inspired, I decided to gather some piano music together -- several of those beautiful love songs we all love to hear -- and I drove down to St. Joe's hospital. There's a nice baby grand in their lobby with a sign on it: "Play Me." For the next hour I tickled the ivories as visitors strolled past on their way to patients' rooms (many carrying flowers and balloons). One old guy asked if I knew any Elton John and tried to give me a tip! :) I was feelin' the love ...

From there I drove to the theater in Livonia to see "The Impossible" -- based on the true story of a family who survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. It was an emotionally stirring film, and when the boys and their parents were finally reunited, the tears began to flow. I was feelin' the love ...

After a bowl of soup at Panera, I headed home. As I walked through the door into the dark and empty house, I felt a twinge of loneliness. But then I was reminded of those who face loneliness daily, and of those in the hospital who are struggling with depression and disease, and of those who have faced major calamities, and of those for whom the reunion never came ... and I began to count my blessings. I turned on the kitchen light and there were my flowers ... a vivid reminder that I am loved.

As I slipped under the covers, I whispered a prayer for all the others sailing solo on Valentine's Day. "O God, would you truly draw near to the lonely, the brokenhearted, the sick, and despairing? May they sense Your presence and find hope stirred anew in their hearts. O, kind Shepherd, hold them close so they can feel Your love ..."