It is early evening as I step through the front doors of the assisted living rehabilitation center. The building is quiet as I meander down the hall.<\/p>\n
I spy a familiar face and walk into the room.<\/p>\n
The mood is joyful and lively.<\/p>\n
My friend\u2019s father sits up in the bed. He is wearing his trademark grin. His wife stands close by and sports her own matching trademark smile.<\/p>\n
The nurses are reveling in these guests who transport them with their infectious love and laughter.<\/p>\n
As is customary in my column I will change the names to protect the innocent and call my friend\u2019s parents, \u201cRicky and Lucy\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRicky just lights up every time Lucy walks into the room,\u201d says a nurse. \u201cThat never happens here.\u201d<\/p>\n
We all giggle for a moment.<\/p>\n
Ricky validates the comment and proudly confirms that seeing Lucy walk in is the best part of his day and that every time he sees Lucy it’s like seeing her for the first time.<\/p>\n
I digest the splendor of their love and reflect on how seldom it is seen amongst long married couples.<\/p>\n
It is some time later and long after my early evening visit that I am driving and hear a new song by country artist, Jana Kramer. It is titled, \u201cLove.\u201d<\/p>\n
I am drawn to the beauty of the words……….<\/p>\n
\u201cI still believe in miracles. I still believe in wedding rings and Bibles. I still believe the best walk you will ever take is walking down the isle.\u201d The song goes on to say, \u201cLove, love, love I still believe in you. You\u2019ll pull me through cause that\u2019s what you do……that\u2019s what you do, love.\u201d<\/p>\n
I think back to Ricky and Lucy.<\/p>\n
I think back to their unique brand of love. A brand so strong it lasts them a lifetime.<\/p>\n
I remember a moment while sharing cocktails with them.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re a dreamer??\u201d asks Ricky enthusiastically.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d I say with a smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a dreamer too!!\u201d he says proudly<\/p>\n
He grabs my hand and races me into the dining room and announces to his two sons, \u201cDid you know Colleen was a dreamer?!\u201d<\/p>\n
Then he urges me to tell them one of my crazy product ideas.<\/p>\n
We all roar with laughter.<\/p>\n
Ricky and I walk back outside and sit down next to Lucy. We sip our drinks and share a few more ideas as only dreamers can. He jokes about a book he wants to write.<\/p>\n
Ricky sports the signature, \u201cjoie de vivre\u2019 of every great dreamer. He revels in the endless possibilities of life. Ricky knows what I know. That the world is filled with realists, yet it\u2019s sprinkled with just a few candy coated dreamers.<\/p>\n
He tells me of a time, when as a young man, he comes home to tell Lucy that he wants to open a cheese shop on Long Island. Never mind that at that time, no one has ever heard of a shop just for cheese. Never mind that it involves quitting his very lucrative job. Never mind that soon Lucy will find herself working and selling cheese in that very shop. Never mind because Lucy believed in her dreamer who also happened to be intuitively ahead of his time.<\/p>\n
A few days ago, I get the call that Ricky has left his love affair with life and therefore, his one true love.<\/p>\n
Lucy has lost her dreamer.<\/p>\n
I think back to the song, \u201cLove.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLove, love, love I still believe in you. You\u2019ll pull me through cause that\u2019s what you do……that\u2019s what you do, love.\u201d<\/p>\n
I think back to the rehabilitative center. I think back to Ricky lighting up when Lucy walks into the room.<\/p>\n
Ricky believed in love and dreams.<\/p>\n
Lucy believed in love and her dreamer.<\/p>\n
And he proved to her that dreams really do come true.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It is early evening as I step through the front doors of the assisted living rehabilitation center. The building is quiet as I meander down the hall. I spy a familiar face and walk into the room. The mood is joyful and lively. My friend\u2019s father sits up in the bed. He is wearing his…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":575,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[26,27,8,5,229,4],"class_list":["post-115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-marriage","tag-dreamers","tag-dreams","tag-faith","tag-love","tag-marriage","tag-relationships"],"yoast_head":"\n