On June 21st I came to the park. I don’t need an excuse to come to the park. I could be happy. I could be sad. I could go to get a cry out or to talk to God for awhile. On this day, I was grieving and feeling very overwhelmed. I just needed a little time to get my head together before work. When I saw this couple sitting on the bench, my heart softened. Even though they weren’t sitting too close to each other, I saw love in this scene. I thought, “Thank you God. Thank you for knowing me so well that you would perfectly lay out this scene to remind me of who you are. Thank you for this glimpse of your love.”
The scene was enough to quiet my heart to speak to God. To calm my anxiety. To soothe some of the confusion and pain in me. I forgot about the couple on the bench and just had some time with God to be in His presence.
Then, as I was getting ready to leave, I looked up and saw this.
I watched him as he gently held her hand and guided her across the beam. I can’t even tell you how that blessed my heart. I wanted to meet them. I wanted to tell them that they helped me see beauty that morning. They showed me goodness in a world that has been hard to find goodness in lately. So, if you know me, I did exactly that, with very little hesitation. As I approached them, they seemed very hesitant and unsure - even a little fearful. Then I watched their facial expressions soften as I told them how grateful I was to see them, that they blessed my heart and that today they were my gift from God. I admitted taking their picture and I showed them. They smiled and the man stated, “We are here all the time.” With a renewed hope in my heart, I waved goodbye and went on with my day.
On June 29th, I returned to my park. Again, just getting some quiet time in before work. As I stepped out of the car, the same couple walked by. When they saw me, both of their faces lit up. I looked behind me to see who they were smiling at. Oh, it’s me. They greeted me like I was their best friend. Big smiles, confident voices, and joy. They looked like joy. Pure, simple, beautiful joy. They invited me to take a walk with them. I declined, but I think next time I go, I will be prepared with my sneakers.
As I walked to my park bench, I whispered “Thank you God. I needed that.”
—Dara Born
*Please be advised that this blog represents the views, opinions and beliefs of the writer and does not necessarily reflect those of our church leadership or denominational affiliation.