Precious Moments
We walk along the canal together. I reach for her hand but she pulls away from me, remaining distant. The leaves on the trees surrounding the canal are vibrant colours of yellow and orange, and some are already falling. It is a clear indication that summer is now over. There is even a slight chill in the air, despite a blue sky above and bright sunlight beaming down upon us.
We stop walking for a moment and as I turn her towards me to gently wrap her favourite purple flowered shawl around her delicate shoulders, she just stares back at me with strange vacant eyes. My heart sinks as I will her to recognise me or at least to acknowledge me. Her lips attempt to move but no words come out and she remains silent, continuing to look puzzled and confused.
I fear she will have one of her screaming fits. I am already conscious of other walkers close by. They are mainly mature couples of similar age to us and oh how I envy them. I long for that deep companionship they appear to have, enjoying being in each other’s company as they walk side by side taking in the beauty that surrounds them and breathing in the cool fresh air. We were like that not so long ago, yet it seems as if it was a life time away.
Fortunately she carries on walking. I soon catch her up as she has a tendency to shuffle instead of walk these days. It is not long before we stumble upon a pile of autumn leaves, which have obviously fallen from their trees and have somehow been swept to form this heap of brown and yellow leaves. I impulsively kick at them. Suddenly childish laughter fills the air as I see her splashing around in the crispy fallen leaves. Her eyes are enlarged and bright with excitement, as she lifts a pile of them into her hands and then squeals with delight as she throws them high into the air. We both watch them slowly flutter back to the ground to land back on the pile. She looks so youthful, so full of life and for a moment I am back in time. Our eyes meet and there is a spark of recognition as she looks at me with those warm brown eyes that I have always loved. At that moment she has that impish cheeky appeal about her, which I adored when we were younger many years ago. I smile and my heart misses a beat. She is so beautiful, my true and only love.
I will treasure this moment, for soon she will return to her empty shell. She will disappear like the summer has. I know when the summer will return but I never know when I will see that loving warm wife again, who I adore so much. Such moments as these are precious.
The end