Today was L.'s 81st birthday. A beautiful (inside and out) lady (and at a risk of using too many brackets, she really is a LADY), it was a pleasure to gather our 'Heimbund' together, head over to her house and eat more cake and drink more coffee than anyone ever should. One great thing about this once a week gathering of ladies, is the gathering of experience and wisdom that flows from them effortlessly. Whether it is 88 year old D.'s ability to laugh at a joke about smoking pot or revealing how she used to be part of a gang as a young child that regularly got into fights with another gang until she herself was once defeated, at which point she decided she had had enough or E.'s straightforward, simple ways of explaining faith and life - I never fail to be amazed, awed and inspired. Today was no exception.
I am getting married, so I like talking about marriage. I like hearing about other people's marriages. I like asking them how they got engaged. (On a side note, I asked a man this a few months ago and it stumped him. 'Um. How did I ask her?' he mumbled to himself and after about 5 minutes of thinking, which were rather uncomfortable for me, he settled on saying something down the lines of 'Well, I asked her somehow and she must have said yes so that's good'. I don't know if I'll be asking a man again soon. It was uncomfortable.) One of L.'s friends, who isn't part of the Heimbund, was also at our coffee and cake party and the conversation moved us in a direction that allowed me to ask her how she met her husband. I was so delighted to hear that they have known each other since they were eight. Eight! 8! 4+4! People know each other that long?! They went to school together. Were in the same class. She moved, he moved. She wrote him. The letter was sent back (he had moved). He walked down her street where she lived, looking at the names on each house until giving up just before he reached her place (apparently the Neusserstr. in Cologne is very long and he didn't have all night) Oh the romance! He moved to France. She developed Asthma (apparently common in Cologne...?) He developed a tooth ache. They both had to move back home. They met again. The rest is history. She hates it when he wins at chess. She was better at school so she just. doesn't. get. it. He was always late for things. She was always on time. He is still always late for things. This still drives her crazy. He has learned to say sorry since meeting Jesus in '88.
What a joy it was to listen to her laugh and speak candidly about her marriage, the work that it is and to see how much she loves her husband after the 42+ years of marriage and even longer friendship.
Thomas Moore once said "From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity."
Their bodies may not be rotting, but these ladies are planting flowers that will grow in me, and my marriage and will honour them when they are called home. I am blessed to call them friends.
p.s. Here is a joke that L.'s friend told us today. "Eine Frau geht zum Arzt. Der Arzt schaut in ihrem Ohr und sagt 'Sie haben ein Zäpfchen in Ihrem Ohr!' 'Oh, danke, dass sie mir das sagen!' erwidert die Frau 'jetzt weiss ich wo mein Hörgerät ist!" (I will try to translate. A woman goes to the doctor.The doctor takes a look in her ear and says 'You have a suppository in your ear!' 'Oh thank you for telling me!' the woman replies, 'now I know where my hearing aid is!) Sometimes they tell jokes that make me choke.
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