SATURDAY JUNE 19, SATURDAY STORY.

 SATURDAY JUNE 19, SATURDAY STORY.

A Pollyanna Story of LOVE WINS!!!

*****

Anne looked in her mirror and urged a smile on her face.  After all, it was bridge day.  Normally she danced with glee for bridge day, but this morning the pain forced her to make that decision a conscious choice.  She smiled a forced smile through the pain as she dressed.  

Outside the door, she picked up a subtle scent - lilacs?  No, she knew lilacs didn’t grow in Texas, but the aroma and the hint of intimacy overwhelmed her.  She stopped before getting into her little “Hoober”.  Closing her eyes, she pictured herself as a girl picking fragrant lilacs from the hedge between her house and Ruben’s house.  Breathing the scents lifted her spirit.  She opened the doors to her little Nissan Versa.  She laughed out loud as she pictured her friend Rita calling her car “Hoober”.  And, that lilac scent followed her into her car.  

Instead of pushing one of the buttons for music, she reveled in the lilac aroma on the way to the senior center.  Her motto “Love Wins” entered her brain.  Yes, she thought, Love Wins!!  The two miles to the Stone Haven senior center were a cacophony of scents and sights.  Rose fragrance mixed with the lilac aroma.  Today, the sky was clear with just a hint of cotton candy white clouds.  Had every lawn been mown yesterday, had all the houses been painted in the last week?  Even the auto shop at the corner of Leander Road and Railroad Street gleamed brightly.  For a second, she saw the signpost “Leander Road” and thought it read, “Love Wins”.  She thought “Wow, that lilac scent is even affecting my vision.”  A majestic Bald Eagle flew over.  Three brilliant cardinal males flew past her as she parked.  

Getting out of her car, she joined Shirley and Bob on the sidewalk.  What grand friends.  They exchanged hugs and Anne knew that Shirley had a beautiful scent - could it be lilac perfume?  Even the courtyard had blooms and fragrances as they entered.  

Dennis greeted them with his cup of coffee.  Anne so appreciated Dennis and Avis as “our Rhode Island ambassadors”.  Carol arranged a coffee cake on the table, as Nancy came for her hug.  Anne tried and failed to make this “just” a common hug, and so squeezed her friend for a few long seconds - a special deep hug - with such love.  Most of the regulars were there, especially Sherrie, Gwen, Setta, and Jean.  They all shone brightly today. Vickie and Vicky sat at one of the tables and, in this magic morning, Vickie's laugh anointed the room with joy and peace.  Dave, Chris, and Robert discussed the problems of the world at their table and greeted Anne and the others.  Orville hugged Anne as well as he grabbed his cup of coffee.  The lilac scent was so vibrant in this room, in this community this morning.  With such exceptional hugs, tears came to Anne’s eyes.  “Are you doing this for me, Lord”, she thought as Sherrie gave her a hug.  Taking her seat opposite Sherrie for the first game, she felt the joy.  And, as if on cue, as the shuffling was beginning, Emily rushed in, and a minute later Henry joined them.  What a group, what love prevailed, thought Anne.  

From the other room, a presence came forth - Anne’s sister Beth.  This brought happy tears flowing like a faucet - Love does win.  Why was she here?  To play bridge?  What a joyous surprise.

A commotion arose in the hallway as four beautiful girls and a handsome young man entered - Anne broke out in great happy sobs as her five grandchildren surrounded her - the twins, Abby and Leah, and the triplets, Asher, Ada, and Genesis.  

The magic continued. The room morphed and grew larger with so many people that Anne loved so deeply - Paul and Josie, Ron, Lynette and Dwayne, Tom and Joyce, Shirley and Tom, Bruce and Janice, Anne and Kathleen - her special sisters, Rita, Paula, Mary, Joe, Louie, Joe and Janie, Granny Basketball friends, and so many others.  Then she caught a glimpse of Emily F, Megan, Dr. Freet, and Dr. Lee standing together. And, hugs with Becky, Steve, Matt, Sara, and Connie. Anne found herself floating above the group.  Now it included students - many waved, musicians, church friends from all over.  And Andrei from Belarus - my international friend.  

. . . . . . and, faintly in a far corner, wearing an academic robe was Bruce

Then all the joy and sounds died back to a simple French Horn - tentative at first, growing louder with the whole symphony joining in the Finale to the Firebird suite (and the tuba note cut through as it should).  OVERWHELMING, INFINITE, TRANSFORMING.  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-OBzD5Es4c) 

The JOY overflowed, healing occurred, reconciliation happened.  

And, an amazing thing happened.  Anne was still floating and going higher and higher and merged with that person in the academic robe - the two had become one again.

*****

...And heaven opened up and received a new resident.