"Love and Daffodils Forever"
(Written by Nicolle Woodward)
They had just celebrated their 39th anniversary in April when
Bill went for
his annual checkup. Always in perfect health, he was
unprepared for what the
doctor found. Symptoms Bill had ignored as "old
age" led to questions,
palpations, more questions, and finally instructions for a
battery of tests.
"Just to be on the safe side," the doctor said.
When Bill took the news home
to Constance, she refused to consider that it could be
something serious.
Fortunately, it was April and the gardens beckoned. There was
more than
enough work needed to prepare the beds for the coming season,
and they threw
themselves into the now-familiar yearly routine. They spent
their days, as
always, surrounded by trays of flowers and bags of mulch,
wielding their
favorite trowels.
As the summer progressed, 30 years of gardening rewarded them
with a
showplace of color. Benches and swings were placed amid the
bounty of
flowers, and they spent nearly every evening during the
summer relaxing and
basking in the beauty.
As they worked, Constance began to notice a subtle change in
Bill. He seemed
to tire more easily, had difficulty rising from his knees,
and had little
appetite. By the time the test results were in, she was no
longer so sure of
a good prognosis.
When the doctor ushered them into his office, she knew. His
demeanor was too
professional, too unlike the friend they had known and
trusted for so many
years. There was no easy way to say it. Bill was dying, with
so little hope
of curing his illness that it would be kinder to not even
try. He had
perhaps six months left, time enough to put his house in
order, but little
time for anything else.
They decided he would stay at home, with help from visiting
nurses and
hospice when the time came. Their children were both far
away, one in Oregon
and the other in Chicago. They came for extended visits, but
with jobs and
children, neither could come permanently. So Bill and
Constance spent the
ending time as they had spent the beginning time, alone
together. Only now
they had their beloved gardens, a great comfort to them both
for that entire
summer.
By September, Bill was fading fast and they both knew the end
was near. For
some reason Constance couldn't understand, he seemed to be
pushing her to
get out more. He urged her to call old friends and have
lunch, go shopping,
see a movie. She resisted until he became so agitated that
she conceded and
began making her calls. Everyone was more than willing to
accompany her, and
she found she did take some comfort in talking over lunch or
during the long
ride to the mall.
Bill passed away peacefully in October, surrounded by his
family. Constance
was inconsolable. No amount of knowing could have prepared
her for the
emptiness she felt. Winter descended upon her with a
vengeance. Suddenly it
seemed dark all the time. Then the holidays came, and she
went to Oregon for
Thanksgiving and to Chicago for Christmas. The house was cold
and empty when
she returned. She wasn't quite sure how she could go on, but
somehow she
did.
At long last, it was April again, and with April came the
return to longer
and warmer days. She would go from window to window looking
out at the yard,
knowing what needed to be done, but not really caring if she
did it or not.
Then, one day, she noticed something different about the
gardens. They were
coming to life sooner than they had in the past. She went out
and walked all
around and through the beds. It was daffodils. Hundreds and
hundreds and
hundreds of daffodils. She and Bill had never put many spring
plants in
their gardens. They so enjoyed the colors of summer that they
had only a few
spring daffodils and hyacinths scattered here and there.
"Where did they come from?" she wondered as she
walked. Not only did the
blooms completely encircle each bed, they were also scattered
inside, among
the still-dormant summer plants. They appeared in groups all
over the lawn,
and even lined the driveway to the street. They ringed the
trees and they
lined the foundation of the house. She couldn't believe it.
Where on earth
had they come from?
A few days later she received a call from her attorney. He
needed to see
her, he said. Could she come to his office that morning? When
Constance
arrived, he handed her a package with instructions not to
open it until she
returned home. He gave no other explanation.
When she opened the package, there were two smaller packages
inside. One was
labeled "Open me first." Inside was a video
cassette. Suddenly Bill appeared
on the screen, talking to her from his favorite chair,
dressed not in
pajamas but in a sweater and slacks. "My darling
Constance," he began,
"today is our anniversary, and this is my gift to
you."
He told her of his love for her. Then he explained the
daffodils.
"I know these daffodils will be blooming on our
anniversary, and will
continue to do so forever," Bill said. "I couldn't
plant them alone,
though." Their many friends had conspired with Bill to
get the bulbs
planted. They had taken turns last fall getting Constance out
of the house
for hours at a time so the work could be done.
The second package held the memories of all those friends who
so generously
gave of their time and energies so Bill could give her his
final gift.
Photographs of everyone came spilling out, images captured
forever of them
working in the garden, laughing, taking turns snapping
pictures and visiting
with her beloved husband, who sat bundled in a lawn chair,
watching.
In the photo Constance framed and put by her bed, Bill is
smiling at her and
waving his trowel.
"Give thanks to the LORD, for he
is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the
heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the
waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights --
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
to him who struck down the firstborn of
Egypt
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
with a mighty hand and outstretched
arm;
His love endures forever.
to him who divided the Red Sea asunder
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel through the midst of
it,
His love endures forever.
but swept Pharaoh and his army into the
Red Sea;
His love endures forever.
to him who led his people through the
desert,
His love endures forever.
who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
and killed mighty kings --
His love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan --
His love endures forever.
and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
an inheritance to his servant Israel;
His love endures forever.
to the One who remembered us in our low
estate
His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies,
His love endures forever.
and who gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever."
(Psalms 136 NIV)
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