We still hold hands....

“You married him because you loved him, Now you must love him because you married him.” Elisabeth Elliot

This was quoted on "At the Well" today. I don't know why but God brought to my mind before my dearest and I got married we were taking a class at our church on Making Love Last. In the class with us were people who were already married, some for many years, some less than 10, and here come my beloved and I yet to make that covenant promise to eachother.

At about the second class or so, one of the couples mentioned that eventually we would no longer hold hands.

At the time, that comment brought to mind my aunt (then in her 60's) and her beloved, my uncle Paul...we were at a family reunion, plenty of family around that we had not seen for a long time, we were laughing, reminising, and just enjoying eachother. I was talking with one of my cousins, and looked across the field...My aunt and uncle were walking away from the crowd to grasp a moment for themselves...and they were holding hands. They stepped closer to eachother, she leaned her head on his shoulder and they continued walking and talking quietly with eachother. Despite their ages and "maturity" they still held hands

Years later, my examples of marriage...my mom and dad, his hands gnarled and twisted from arthritis, yet her hand still fit perfectly into his. They would hold hands when they went out to eat, when he was in the hospit.al, she would slip her hand into his and use the other to comb through his hair, in their moments of joy and at times when the moments were dark, they still held hands.

My beloved and I...when we walk together, when he is driving, when we sit in church side by side....we still hold hands.