Don't Hope, Friend...Decide!

Don't Hope, Friend...Decide!

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon,
I had one of those life changing experiences that you hear other
people talk about. You know, the kind that sneaks up on you
unexpectedly? Well, this one occurred a mere two feet away from me!

Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the
jetway, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He
stopped right next to me to greet his family.

First, he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid
down his bags. They gave each other a long, and movingly loving hug.
As they separated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the
father say, "It's so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!" His
son smiled somewhat shyly, diverted his eyes, and replied softly, "Me
too,
Dad!"

Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe 9
or10) and while cupping his son's face in his hands he said, "You're
already quite the young man. I love you very much Zach!" They too
hugged a most loving, tender hug. His son said nothing. No reply was
necessary.

While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one and a half)
was squirming excitedly in her mother's arms, never once taking her
little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man
said, "Hi babygirl!" as he gently took the child from her mother. He
quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest
while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed
and simply laid her head on his shoulder and remained motionless in
total pure contentment.

After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and
declared, "I've saved the best for last!" and proceeded to give his
wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He
gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed, "I
love you so much!" They stared into each other's eyes, beaming big
smiles at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant, they
reminded me of newlyweds but I knew by the age of their kids that they
couldn't be. I
puzzled about it for a moment, then realized how totally engrossed I was
in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm's
length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I were
invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice
nervously ask, "Wow! How long have you two been married?"

"Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those," he
replied without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife's face. "Well
then, how long have you been away?" I asked. The man finally looked at
me, still beaming his joyous smile and told me, "Two whole days!"

Two days?! I was stunned! I was certain by the intensity of the
greeting I just witnessed that he'd been gone for at least several
weeks, if not months, and I know my expression betrayed me. So I said
almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of
grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), "I hope my
marriage is
still that passionate after twelve years!"

The man suddenly stopped smiling. He looked me straight in the eye, and
with an intensity that burned right into my soul, he told me something
that left me a different person. He told me, "Don't hope
friend...decide." Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook
my hand and said, "God bless!" With that, he and his family turned and
energetically strode away together.

I was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walk
just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked, "What'cha
looking at?" Without hesitating, and with a curious sense of
certainty,
I replied, "My future!"

Michael D. Hargrove