Don't Hope... Decide

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While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, USA,   I had a life-changing experience. It occurred only two feet away from me.

I was anxious to locate my friend among the passengers coming
through the jet way. Then I noticed a man coming toward me carrying
two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.

First he moved 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, turned away 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, without moving, in pure contentment.

After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and
declared, “I have 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 a second, they looked like a newly wed couple, but I knew by
the age of their kids that they could not possibly be. I puzzled about
it for a moment. Then I realised I was totally absorbed in the wonderful
display of unconditional love an arm’s length away from me. I asked
that an “Wow! How long have you two been married?

“We have been together for fourteen years totally, we have been
married for twelve years of those fourteen years.” 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 had been gone for at least several weeks or several months.

I forgot myself while looking at that family and said to him
“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!”