Young Love In Our Senior Years

 Have you ever watched young people in the throes of their first experience with love?

There is something soft and magical in the way they touch each other.  How they look, really look into each other’s eyes.  Seeking out a love to equal theirs in their lover’s eyes.

It draws you in and I experience joy in those moments.  Joy for the young couple and for our world that such pure love remains alive.

I have experienced many of these moments of late watching Mom (78) and John (82) be together with each other.

Approximately three years ago not wanting to be alone after life separated them permanently from their partners, both Mom and John engaged in a moment of harmless dreaming.  They went online at Christian Mingle.  Their choice of online web dating site was driving by their Christians beliefs.  They created profiles, and waited.

Mom endured nine months of ‘pings’ from men who were either too young or where something just did not feel right about them.  Then when she was just about to give up John contacted her.

John on the other hand found Mom’s profile within days of signing up on Christian Mingle.

Both wanting to be cautious and very much aware of the ease at which people misrepresent themselves for malicious purposes corresponded via email for almost a year with an ever increasing  frequency until they were in contact daily. 

                          

Wanting to get to know each other in a more personal way they started communicating via phone once a week and this then lead to their daily practice of have coffee and devotionals together via Skype.

Now totally confident that each was who they presented themselves to be John took the relationship to the next level he planned a visit with Mom. 

Mom had been open with us about her online relationship and John had been with his children yet Paul and I felt compelled to be present the day that John arrived for his visit.

Since that visit I often find myself watching them and being drawn into the joy of their ‘young love’.  

I give thanks every day that the internet brought John and Mom together.  They are both happier and will live longer more engaged lives because of it.

Only God, the internet and a belief you are never too old for love brought Mom and John together because 11 hours, an international boarder and 677 miles/1089.53 kilometer separate them.

As they continue to age we will continue to support their traveling to visit each other at least twice a year for extended visits.  When apart they will pick up their practice of being together via Skype, ending each day with “I love you”.

Grandma Snyder

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