For Valentine’s Day, my beloved and I went to a movie. My Sailor. My Love.
Set along the rugged shores of Ireland’s stunning coastline, it follows the tale of widower, Howard Grimes, falling in love with, Annie, the woman his daughter hires to keep house for him.
It begins with an apology and ends with acceptance. And through it all, love shimmers in the beauty of the scenery, the sparse dialogue, the interactions between the three main characters, Howard, his daughter Grace and Annie, as well as everyone in the theatre and online watching. We all felt Love’s presence.
No matter if the actors were embodying the confusion, hurt, anger, fear, sadness, loss of their character, Love was there.
At the end, when I was wrapping up the event (I was the host. I’m a board member of THIRD ACTion Film Fest and we put on monthly screenings of films that illuminate issues and stories of aging and one of us always hosts) I told the audience that one of the things that really rang true for me in the film was that, Love Never Grows Old. Not physically. Not spiritually. Not intangible or tangibly. Love Never Grows Old.
There is always space, and time, for Love to play a role, hopefully, a leading one, in our lives.
Whether we are feeling happy, elated, joyful, or confused, hurt, angry, scared, sad, or lonely, Love is always there. To know it, we only have to accept it is there and forgive ourselves and others for the things we’ve done that were unloving.
As the final credits rolled last night, the movie of my life that likes to play in my mind when my soul is stirred and my heart beats wild and fierce, rewound itself to a point in time where my mother, sisters, my daughters and I were at my brother and his wife’s memorial service.
As I told my daughters, who at the time had just slipped over the cusp of their single-digit years and were confused by some of the family drama that enshrouded the passing of their uncle and aunt, “When someone leaves this world there is only one thing they can leave behind. Love. It is what brings each of us into this world and what carries us over the threshold to whatever lies beyond this life.Love is eternal.”
My Sailor. My Love. reminded me to keep diving deep into LOVE. It never grows old. It is, from the beginning to the end of life, always present.
No matter our accumulation of money, possessions, degrees, homes, cars, accolades, no matter how high up the career ladder we climb, how many times we’ve fallen, felt broken, discouraged or lost, it is always Love, in its many wondrous facets and manifestations, that carries us through.
.Namaste
Dare Boldly 
As usual, it’s a wonderful post. This one really speaks to me. It’s funny how self-love is harder than the love for others. But even there, I am making strides. FYI- I went to Aquafit and he went to soccer. Romantic times hey!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Bernie. And yes, funny in a sometimes very sad way that self-love is harder than the love for others. I work on that one daily. and that too sounds like a perfectly romantic day! 🙂 ❤
LikeLike
Beautiful post. And yes “it is always Love, in its many wondrous facets and manifestations, that carries us through.” I can’t think of any wiser words. Thanks for the great reminder.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Brian!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So very true. This comes at the right time as in a few days, we‘re celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. We shall receive a church blessing, the service is followed by an Apéro and then, our group of family and a few friends will go for a meal in our favourite restaurant. Three things around the organisation of our special day struck me: We wrote to our invitees that we didn‘t want any gifts and pressies at all. That their love and friendship was our gift – And guess what!
Next thing was that out of two dozens guests TEN offered to come to the choir rehearsal a few days before Sunday to join our choir on our day, and three will play in the orchestra. This, after I was a bit unhappy because a number of friends will be away on holidays right then. So, in one sweep all the ‚missing‘ places were and will not only be filled but filled with family and friends who love music, singing, and who will gladly help to make this day even more special.
The minister who married us in church was – 25yrs ago – very young and we were his 1st ‚marriage‘. Afterwards I said to him: When we‘ll have our 25th, we might be in wheelchairs but you, at least, will have a great experience in marrying ppl. HE nos has a ‚high’ ministry and he will come especially to hold that service on the day. 🙂 He even visits us personally a few days before and he said: I so look forward to spend an evening with you before.
A young woman who got married a few months ago, approached me last Sunday and said: I so look forward to your day. You gave me so much courage and hope when you wrote in your card: If you manage to be only half as happy as we are, you‘ll be doing just fine. She postponed her holidays with her husband to be able to attend that service.
Give and receive love not only on Valentine‘s Day but every day of the year. We don‘t want roses and sweet cards, we want a dependable, caring partner today, tomorrow and in hard times too.
LikeLike