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| Photo of Dianne on the battlefield near the bridge that was "out" that Sunday |
GRIEF has its way of sneaking up on you and clobbering you when you least expect it. Yesterday, as I was taking my walk around the neighborhood, it began to snow... just a few flakes swirling around... but it brought back the memory of the first "date" I had with Dianne... a Sunday walk in the snow.
At Dianne's memorial service, Kevin, my son, read my account of that first date... and the pain I was feeling after one-half of me had been "ripped" away. I share now with you that memory that came floating back yesterday.
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I will always remember my
first “date” with Dianne…. At least, I think it was a “date”.
When we met in Gettysburg, we
both already had children… we were busy making a living… and we were both
recovering from the trauma and after-shock of divorce. So, I am not sure that we ever had a “real
date” before we got married.
That first “date” was a walk
on the Gettysburg battlefield. It had
snowed the night before, and the sun was out… when I received a call from
Dianne… “Would you like to go for a walk on the battlefield?”
I must admit I was overwhelmed: first, by the reality that this beautiful
lady was asking me to accompany her on a walk… and secondly, by the fact that I
didn’t have any boots!
I don’t remember what I put
on my feet on that day… but I will always cherish the memory of taking that
first walk with Dianne. Our walk took us
along one of the less-traveled trails on the battlefield.
When we came to a small
creek, the bridge that crossed the creek had completely collapsed. I wanted to turn around and go back the way
we had come, but Dianne took my hand, led me down the creek bank, and we
crossed on an old log that had fallen over the creek.
I will never forget that
first time Dianne held my hand. I was in love! And, about 5 months later, we were married on
that very spot in the battlefield where the “bridge was out”.
I wrote this little poem
about that special walk on the battlefield:
The Bridge Was Out
It was a Sunday walk in snow…
down through a path I did not
know.
Our trail cut through a
silent wood—
We marched and laughed and
then just stood
to listen to the awesome
quiet
of melting snow and geese in
flight.
With child-like glee we
traced our route down to a stream….
The bridge was out.
And, though I would have turned
around
to journey back the road we’d
found,
you said, “let’s cross, I
have a plan—
you see that log? I think we can…”
And thanks to you
we found the way
that lay beyond the bridge
that day!
When I wrote the poem… the
“way” in “we found the way” was not capitalized. During this past week, I’ve decided that I should
capitalize the “w” in Way. Not, we found
the “way”…. But we found THE WAY!
When Dianne and I met, we had
fallen away from our roots in the LORD, but very early in our marriage, we recognized
our need to come back to HIS WAY.
We grew in our love for each
other and for the Lord. Eventually, we became
“one flesh” as described in Genesis 2:24...
Last Friday at dawn, I held
Dianne’s loving hand as she gasped for each new breath. Like that first time I held her hand on the
battlefield… I will never forget that sweet, but painful goodbye.
We were indeed “one flesh”,
and now I must admit that I feel like one-half of me has been ripped away.
Lord, I thank you for my
beautiful helpmate…beautiful both on the outside and inside… the beautiful lady
who took my hand on the battlefield that day.
Yes, Lord, you taught that we are not married in heaven
as we are on earth, but please, please Lord,
let Dianne reach out, take my hand, and
lead me home when it is my turn to dwell with You forever.
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