"I know you're going through a difficult time..."

Those words were spoken ever so gently to me yesterday while I sat frustrated and on the verge of tears. They were all it took for the dam to break and the tears spilled over and run down my face, cleansing and cleaning away all the difficulties that had made up my day. Don always knows just what to say, to do, to be when what I need to hear isn't the words that I desire to be hearing. He slipped his arms around me and simply held me while I released so many pent up emotions. The second hand continued to tick away until they became minutes and minutes made up half an hour, and no other words were needed. Just being there, knowing he cared.... After a while he left to return a moment or two later with a warm, wet washcloth and began washing my face. "Get up." he whispered, and I obeyed, sliding gently into his arms once again. "You need a change of scenery, let's go out and get something to eat."

So off we ventured, nowhere special, our only need was to nourish our bodies. We chatted casually while dining, until out of the blue, there it was...the sound of laughter escaping from my deep down in my soul. He had me laughing over so silly comment that he'd made, changing my entirely blue perspective. We continued to talk, to laugh, to just simply be. On our way home, I suggested a quick run into WalMart so I could pick up a new book to read. If I need to rest, I may as well be doing something enjoyable while doing it. So, we walked ever so slowly towards the books and magazine section, stopping briefly to chat with some old friends as we made our way. Once in the book aisle, my hand automatically reached for Danielle Steele's book, "House" as if guided by some unseen force, gravitating towards it as if there were some unseen magnetic attraction. For years, Danielle Steele has been one of my favorite authors. A lot of her books, read and reread, are now stored in a box tucked gently upstairs. Somehow, once owned, I have a heck of a time parting with them... like a cherished treasure... one that doesn't need to be seen, but comforting knowing they are there... waiting for when the time is right. Shortly thereafter, we returned home. I retired to the bedroom, slipping into something comfy and sliding between the coolness of our sheets. Within minutes, Don was by my side with the heating pad in hand, plugging it into the wall outlet and propping up my pillows. "Would you like something to drink, Your Highness?" he asked and I laughed once again, wondering how I ever got so lucky to find him, a diamond in the rough. Moments later, he returned with a bottle of cold water for my parched lips. A gentle kiss on the forehead and a whisper, "rest" was all that I needed to hear, as I sat back upon the heating pad propped up by pillows and my favorite author's book between my hands. Time continued to pass, seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours, and the day into night. Don checked on me often, inquirying if I felt better, and reminded me that every little things takes time. His words reminded me of an Emerson quotation,

"Adopt the pace of nature;her secret is patience."

and I surrendered into the moment, knowing he was ever so right.