January 25: Tell a Love Story

tanteva · Jan 27, 2023

Thank you @garrynkim for letting me use a stock photo. I really wanted to tell this story.

Journaling is translated in the gallery, but I'm pasting it here as well:
Last fall I witnessed the most beautiful act of love I've ever seen. But, I'll back up a couple of years to tell the story from the beginning. When I was a teen, there was a youth leader in the congregation I was a part of. Britt was so happy all the time, and she and her husband Bengt always opened their home for us. We met every Friday, and it was tea, different activities, and so many deep and rewarding conversations. In retrospect, I've understood that Britt and Bengt been the absolutely best lesson I've had, for how a relationship should look like. They apparently truly loved eachother, all time possible were spent together, and they were so cute. I remember, we were always welcomed, and Britt even kept in touch, when I had moved to another town. We had funny nicknames for eachother, I called her "Kärringen" [old lady; hag almost] and she called me "Fräschingen" [someone new/fresh/beautiful]. Then, on the spring of 2022, we met eachother at a funeral, after not seeing eachother for a long time, and I noticed something had changed. Britt, who always had greeted me with great joy, just looked past me and said nothing. I immediately understood: she don't remember me. And then I saw it, Bengt was there, always close to her and it really looked like he was protecting her. Later, that fall, I went to ICA [grocery store]. When I got out from the store, I saw Britt, Bengt and two other acquaintances out in the parking lot. I got up to them and started talking. I saw Britt looking a bit confused, everyone else clearly knew who I was, but she didn't have a clue. When we talk, I can see how Bengt moves closer to Britt, and they start whispering. Britt shakes her head just a tiny bit. Then Bengt does this beautiful thing. He turns to us, and starts telling an anecdote from the time when I was in the youth group, a funny thing I did, that I know him and Britt always laughed about. I've heard him tell it before. But I understood, in that moment, he wasn't telling the story to us, he told it for Britt. It was so wonderful to see. I don't know for how long they've been married, but it must be at least 55 years, because that's the age of their oldest daughter. Their love is qbviously magical. Bengt is there for Britt. Til the end. This is exactly the love I want us all to have the chance to experience.