SHMILY:
A Lovestory You Will Never Forget
My
grandparents were married for over half a century and played their own
special game from the time they had met each other. The goal of their
game was to write the word "shmily" in a surprise place for the other
to find.They
took turns leaving "shmily" around the house and as soon as one of them
discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more. They dragged
"shmily" with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers, to
await whoever was preparing the next meal.They
smeared it in the dew on the windows overlooking the patio (where my
grandma always fed us warm, homemade pudding with blue food coloring)."Shmily"
was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where
it would reappear bath after bath. At one point, my grandmother even
unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper, to leave "shmily" on the very
last sheet.There
was no end to the places "shmily" would pop up. Little notes with
"shmily" scribbled hurriedly were found on dashboards and car seats, or
taped to steering wheels. The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left
under pillows."Shmily"
was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced in the ashes of the
fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents'
house as the furniture.It
took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my
grandparents' game. Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love,
one that is pure and enduring. However, I never doubted my
grandparents' relationship.They
had love down pat. It was more than their flirtatious little games; it
was a way of life. Their relationship was based on a devotion and
passionate affection, which not everyone is lucky to experience.Grandma
and Grandpa held hands every chance they could. They stole kisses, as
they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen. They finished each
other's sentences and shared the daily crossword puzzle and word jumble.My
grandma whispered to me about how cute my grandpa was, how handsome and
old he had grown to be. She claimed that she really knew "how to pick
'em."Before
every meal they bowed their heads and gave thanks, marveling at their
blessings: a wonderful family, good fortune and each other.But,
there was a dark cloud in my grandparents' lives: my grandmother had
breast cancer. The disease had first appeared ten years earlier.As
always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way. He comforted her in
their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be
surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside.Now
the cancer was again attacking her body. With the help of a cane and my
grandfather's steady hand, they went to church every Sunday morning.
But, my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not
leave the house anymore.For
a while, Grandpa would go to church alone, praying to God to watch over
his wife. Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened. Grandma
was gone."Shmily."
It was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother's
funeral bouquet. As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to
leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members came forward
and gathered around Grandma one last time.Grandpa
stepped up to my grandmother's casket and (taking a shaky breath) he
began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came (a
deep and throaty lullaby).Shaking
with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment. I knew that,
although I couldn't begin to fathom the depth of their love, I had been
privileged to witness its unmatched beauty."S-h-m-i-l-y: See How Much I Love You..."Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa, for letting me see.by Laura Jeanne Allen
Beginning "S.H.M.I.L.Y. Time in YOUR Home:- If
your husband is unfamiliar with this story, copy it and put in in a
card or letter that reminds him how much you love him. (If he's
already heard this story, then just do the letter or card.) Be sure to
have "Shmily" on the envelope!
May the Lord be glorified as we seek new ways to spark our marriage and fulfill our purpose as wives! Lovingly, Amy
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Posted by 
• Mar. 18, 2007 - SHMILY
Jeanette (Melbourne, Australia)