Back in 2003, I lived in a beautiful little house in Camden, Maine. I worked at the local college about fifteen minutes away by car. I loved Camden then and still do today. It’s a great little town. We had a little beach right by us. I could walk out my door and be there in less than two minutes. Loved that.
I had a neighbor at the time, Ryan who lived across from me. He had a beautiful big garden full of amazing flowers of every kind. His wife Barbara had recently passed away and he was grieving while still attending to affairs. I had never met Barbara but felt a kinship to her when I heard about her. Ryan said I was a lot like her and he would show up at my door with cut flowers from his garden a few times a week. He said, “I don’t know what to do with them.”
I loved flowers and I loved knowing how much they had loved each other. They had a few kids - all grown up and much older than me and were grandparents when Barbara had passed away. Ryan kept up the place immaculately and was still his positive, happy self.
My old Saab was having trouble starting up some days and had died on me a few times at the least opportune moments. Ryan let me drive his green Jeep while I was getting my Saab looked at. I loved driving the Jeep through Maine backwoods and down old country roads.
After I got my Saab back and returned his Jeep, I talked to Ryan a bit before he was heading out to meet his children and grandchildren. He went back into his house and then came back with a beautiful photograph of his late wife Barbara. She was smiling in the photo. It was a beautiful photo and I still have it with me. :) He also gave me a print out of the first few sentences from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
“Keep this with you,” Ryan said and I nodded, taking the photo and quote and putting it carefully in the glove compartment of my Saab. I was seated in my car about to drive off. I still have that with me.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. ”
Thank you Ryan. ❤️