Celebration of Memories, A Valentine's Day Special

It is Valentine's Day and I don't get to spend any time with my sweet heart. What can I say, we both work odd hours and during the work week we don't get any time together. We know we love each other, so for us, it is okay that we don't even get to have dinner together.

I feel blessed, very fortunate to be working where I am at this time in my life. I get to meet new people every day, I see repeat customers coming back to buy more jewelery for special occasions, for their loved ones and even for themselves.

I met an older woman today, that I will remember for the rest of my life. She walked into the store with her head held high, a thoughtful expression on her face with what looked to be a secret smile on her lips. You know, the kind that say I have a secret, a special secret; one that means the world to me and it is giving me an extra skip in my step.

I greeted her and introduced myself and she gave me her name. Her kind blue eyes had a sparkle in them as she smiled at me and told me she wanted to look at a pair of earrings. I took them out of the case and she smiled. "They are perfect," she said, "they go perfectly with my pendant and I'm going to get them." A co-worker who happened to be right there, pointed out a ring in the same blue diamonds as the earrings. Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw it and after trying it on announced that she wanted the ring as well. She said she wanted to look in the other cases to see what caught her eye. She found a couple more pieces she absolutely loved. They were her birthstones, one being a very pretty pendant and the other a ring to match it.

During this woman's visit, I learned that she was a two time cancer survivor. It was about that time that I really started to admire this woman. She made a comment that she lost her husband and went on looking at the jewelery and asked about putting a blue diamond in a ring she had. A few minutes later as we started ringing her up I had the opportunity to really talk to her. I asked about when she lost her husband and she told me a few months before, just before Christmas. She said that Valentine's Day was a very special time for her. She was purchasing her jewelery because that was what her husband would be doing for her if he were still here.

Upon hearing this, my heart began to break. I didn't let my feelings show to much (at first) but I did give my condolences to her. She went on to tell me that she and her husband met many years before at a convention during Valentine's week. It also happened to be his birthday that week, so from then on, Valentine's Day (Week) was always celebrated in a flurry of activities.

The way this charming woman spoke about her husband and what they shared, made me see how they commemorated their life together. I could see the pain in her blue eyes as tears shimmered, mirroring a lifetime of joy, laughter, love, sadness, pain and heartbreak. When I started to blink back tears unable to control my own emotions, she grabbed my hands and held them tight as we literally cried together. I interpreted a thankful expression on her face, she knew she was understood and that she was not alone during this very difficult time in her life.

My co-worker, a very nice young man, gave the woman a hug as he witnessed the whole thing. I told the woman I admired her for being such a dynamic inspiring woman, and that I believed that she had gone through so much and survived because she has a bigger purpose in life. She told me that she believed me with her whole heart which is the motivator that really keeps her going.

It wasn't enough that I was already teared up, but when she told me her plans for this Valentine's Day, I almost lost it. Her words really painted a picture in my mind about what this woman was going through and it hit me hard.

"I'm going to go home, grill a steak, pour myself a glass of wine and sit with my memories for the rest of the night."

I gave the woman a hug before she left the store and I told her that I was praying for her. Her look of appreciation said more than words ever could. She walked out with her head held high, a secret smile on her face, and yes, an extra skip in her step as she disappeared in the crowd outside of the store.

I'll never forget this woman and I hope and pray to have this woman's courage as I live my life.

Even though I did not get to spend Valentine's Day with my husband, I did get to see how significant this day is to one very special woman who clearly misses the love of her life.