While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland,Oregon, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about -- the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This 'one occurred a mere two feet away from me.
Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.
First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other's face, I heard the
father say, "It's so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!"
His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly,"Me, too, Dad!"
Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe nine or ten) and while cupping his son's face in his hands said, "You're already quite the young man. I love you very much.
Zach!" They too hugged a most loving, tender hug.
While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half) was squirming excitedly in her mother's arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father.
The man said, "Hi, baby girl!" as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.
After several moments. he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, "I've saved the best for last!" and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing.
He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed, "I love you so much!" They stared at each other's eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands.
For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn't possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm's length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, "Wow! How long have you two been married? '.
"Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those." he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife's face. "
Well then. how long have you been away?" I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. "Two whole days!"
Two days? I was stunned. By the intensity of the greeting, I had assumed he'd been gone for at least several weeks -- if not months. I know my expression betrayed me.
I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace land to get back to searching for my friend), "I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!"
The man suddenly stopped smiling.
He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, "Don't hope, friend... decide!" Then he
flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said,"God bless!"
With that, he and his family turned and strode away together.
was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked,
"What'cha looking at?"
Without hesitating, and with a curious sense of certainty,replied, "My future!"
心動不如行動
在俄勒岡州波特蘭市機場等人時發(fā)生的一件事情改變了我的一生,你可能只是聽人說過這種事情,屬于不經意悄然發(fā)生的那種。
它的發(fā)生離我僅2英尺之遙。
在我努力地從下機走廊走下來的乘客中搜尋我的朋友時,我看到了一個拎著兩個輕提包的男人正向我走來,他就在我身邊停了下來,和他的家人互相問候。
他放下提包,先向他的小兒子(6歲的樣子)伸出了雙臂,來了一個長長的親密的擁抱。然后他們松開擁抱注視著對方的面容,我聽見父親說: “兒子,見到你真是太好了。我想死你了!”他的兒子笑顏含羞,目光游移,小聲地答道: “我也是,爸爸!”
然后男人站起來,注視著大兒子(9、10歲的樣子)的眼睛,將兒子的臉捧在手里說: “你已經是個小男子漢了,我非常愛你,扎克!”他們也來了一個愛意融融的溫柔擁抱。
而此時一個女嬰(大約1歲或1歲半)在媽媽的懷抱中興奮地扭動著,小眼睛一刻也未離開過歸來的父親,似乎怎么也看不夠。
男人輕輕地從她母親那里接過小女孩說: “你好啊,小姑娘!”他飛快地將她的小臉吻了個遍,然后抱緊她輕輕地搖晃。小女孩立刻放松了,將頭靠在他的胳膊上,心滿意足地一動不動了。
過了一會兒,他將女兒交給大兒子,高聲道: “我要將最好的部分留給最后的人!”然后走過去給了他妻子一個我印象中見過最長最熱烈的吻。他注視著她的雙眼幾秒鐘,然后柔聲道: “我非常愛你!”他們手握著手,四目相對,朝著對方綻出了舒心的笑容。
在某一瞬間我竟誤會他們?yōu)樾禄榉驄D了,但是看他們孩子的年齡我也知道他們不可能是。我沉疑了片刻,然后才意識到,這相距不過一臂之遙的、無條件之愛的精彩展示竟把我的魂都勾走了。我突然覺得不安,仿佛闖入了一片神圣的領地似的,但我卻驚訝地聽到自己緊張的聲音問道: “呀!你們倆結婚多長時間了?”
“在一起總共14年,結婚12年了。”他回答道,目光卻未離開他愛妻的臉龐。 “那么,你外出有多久了?”我問。那個男人終于轉過來看著我,仍然快樂地微笑著: “整整兩天!”
兩天?我驚呆了。從他們見面的激動場面來看,我以為他離開沒有幾個月至少也有幾個星期了。我知道我的表情出賣了我。
我只希望能帶著幾分優(yōu)雅結束這樣的打擾(回去找我的朋友)。于是不假思索地道: “我真希望我的婚姻在12年以后也能這樣熱情依舊!”
那個男人突然停止了微笑。
他直視我的眼睛,說了一句力有千鈞的話,在我腦海里留下了深深的烙印,并改變了我的一生。他告訴我: “不要希望,朋友……要下決心!”
然后他又朝我露出了那迷人的微笑,握著我的手說: “愿上帝保佑你!”
說完,他和他的家人一起轉身大步離開了。我目送著那個不尋常的男人和他特別的一家人走出我的視線。正在這時,我的朋友走到我跟前問道: “你在看什么?”
我堅定不移、毫不猶豫地回答道: “我的未來!”