Hearts open, senses engaged

We were drinking rich coffee from heavy ceramic mugs, my fingers tracing the deep grooves of the Old Rittenhouse monogram. Ted and I had received a generous wedding gift certificate from friends or we likely would not have enjoyed this extraordinary weekend at the renowned historical inn. 

From our elegant table near the window, we were bathed in warm sunlight as we perused breakfast menus. We were in the ambience of the north, where my sweetheart and I felt right at home.

We had arrived in the evening, and snow was falling so heavily that we swished and swerved as we climbed the steep roads of Bayfield. The Victorian inn perched on a hill with the large wrap-around porch welcomed us and the aroma of burning logs tantalized as we checked in. What a blessing to have a weekend to ourselves tucked away in this winter wonderland!

I was admiring the ornate woodwork, vintage wallpaper and stained-glass accents forming prisms of color on the linen and lace tablecloths when a basket of hearty bran muffins and delicate pastries appeared before us. I looked in Ted’s smiling eyes as the server topped off our coffee. Everything was exquisite – the food, the service, the location, being here with my honey and the potential of a new day spreading before us.

We would delight in seeing a pileated woodpecker hammering away in a tree near the front walkway. We’d bundle up in our warmest layers and hike the craggy, windswept shores of Lake Superior to explore the mysterious ice caves. We would marvel at the beauty in God’s creation, so remote it could easily be missed if we weren’t attentive. Together, we lived life with our hearts open wide and all our senses engaged.

I hold my warm mug in both hands now and sip from that memory once again.

Ted’s been gone for more than three years and my love for him surges strong with this latent memory that came to life today. I miss the man who dreamed up these wonderful adventures, the man who held my hand through the thick and thin of life, and who could caress the depths of my soul with his dancing blue eyes.

He inspires me, still, to be fully engaged with life, to take the time to see the details. God’s loving handiwork is all around to explore and appreciate. In each and every day, our Loving Father places people and purpose and great potential. Will you see it today?

Will we live with hearts open and senses fully engaged? Will we smell the coffee, feel the breezes and read the opportunities that today brings?

Father, we open our hearts to you and all that you have for us. May we never miss the beauty of the relationships and opportunities you place before us today.