Princess Journal

” I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it. One. ”  – City Of Angels  

” After all… I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love me. “- Notting Hill  

” Maybe God has a bigger plan for me than I had for myself. Like this journey never ends. Like you were sent to me because I’m sick. To help me through all this. You’re my angel. ” – A Walk to Remember

” I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who’s ever lived: I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough. ” – The Notebook

” Love means never having to say you’re sorry. ” – Love Story 

” Look, I guarantee there’ll be tough times. I guarantee that at some point, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of this thing. But I also guarantee that if I don’t ask you to be mine, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life, because I know, in my heart, you’re the only one for me. ” – Runaway Bride  

” It’s a wonderful thing, as time goes by, to be with someone who looks into your face, when you’ve gotten old, and still sees what you think you look like. “ - The Bachelor

” You cannot leave everything to Fate, boy. She’s got a lot to do. Sometimes you must give her a hand. ” - Ever After    

” You think I’m gorgeous… You want to kiss me… You want to hug me… You want to love me… You want to smooch me… You want to hug me.” – Miss Congeniality

” That thing, that moment, when you kiss someone and everything around becomes hazy and the only thing in focus is you and this person and you realize that that person is the only person that you’re supposed to kiss for the rest of your life, and for one moment you get this amazing gift and you want to laugh and you want to cry because you feel so lucky that you found it and so scared that that it will go away all at the same time. “ - Never Been Kissed  

” Mama always said, life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. “ - Forrest Gump

                                    “The heart that loves is always young” – Greek Proverb

Grandma got Grandpa out of bed and helped him to the kitchen for breakfast. After his meal, she led him to his armchair in the living room where he would rest while she clean the dishes. Every so often, she would check to see if he needed anything.

This was their daily routine after Grandpa’s latest stroke.

Although once a very active young man, his severely damaged left arm, difficulty walking and slurred speech now kept him housebound. For nearly a year he hadn’t even been to church or visit family.

Grandpa filled his hours with television. He watched the news and the game show while Grandma went about her day. They made a pact- he was not to leave his chair or his bed without her assistance.

” If you fell and I threw my back out trying to help you, who would take care of us? ” Grandma would ask him. She was adamant about taking care of themselves and living independently. The Brooklyn brownstone had been their first home and held wonderful memories. They weren’t ready to leave it behind anytime soon.

Immigrants from Ireland, they met and married in America. Grandma was friendly, outgoing and unselfish; Grandpa was reserved, a man devoted to his family. But he wasn’t big on giving gifts. While he wouldn’t think twice about giving my Grandma the shirt off his back, he subscribed to the belief that if you treated you’re wife well throughout the year, presents weren’t necessary; so he rarely purchased gifts for her.

This has been a sore point in the early days of their marriage. But as years passed, Grandma realized what a good man he was. And, after all, anything she wanted she was free to buy herself.

It was a cold gray February morning, a typical winter day in New York. As always, Grandma walked Grandpa to his chair.

“ I’m going to take a shower now.” She handed him the television remote. ” If you need anything, I’ll be back in a little while.”

After he shower, she glanced towards the back of Grandpa’s recliner but noticed that his cane was not leaning in his usual spot. Sensing something odd, she walked toward the recliner. He was gone. The closet door stood open and his hat and overcoat was missing. Fear ran down her spine.

Grandma threw a coat over her bathrobe and ran outside. He couldn’t have gotten far; he could barely walks on his own.

Desperately she scanned the blocks in all directions. Small mounds of snow and ice coated the sidewalks. Walking safely would be difficult for people who were steady on their feet, much less someone in Grandpa’s condition.

Where could he be? Why would he leave the house all by himself?

Wringing her hands, she hardly felt the frigid air as she watched traffic rush by. She recalled overhearing him tell one of their grandchildren recently  that he felt he was a “burden“. Until this last year, he had been strong and healthy; now he couldn’t even perform the simplest of task.   

As she stood alone in the street corner, guilt flooded her.

Just then, Grandpa walked around the bend corner. Head bowed, eyes focused on the sidewalk, he took small cautious steps. His overcoat barely draped the shoulder of his bad arm, his cane and a package filled his good arm.

Desperate to reached him, Grandma raced down the block. Relieved to see that he was okay, she started to scold.

“I only left you alone for a short while. What did you need so badly that couldn’t wait?  I was so worried about you. What on earth was so important?

Confused and curious, she reached into the brown bag. Before Grandpa had the chance to explain , she pulled out a heart-shaped box.

” It’s Valentine’s Day,” Grandpa explained. “I thought you might like a box of chocolates.”

A gift? All this worry for… candy?

“ I haven’t bought you a gift in a long, long time.” His stroke-impaired words warmed the winter wind.

Tears flooded Grandma’s eyes as she hugged his arm to her chest and led Grandpa back home. She shook her head slowly.

It just goes to show, she thought, it’s never too late for romance.

                                                                                                                        Denise Jacoby

I was reading “Chicken Soup for the Bride’s Soul” last night, this story caught my attention.