Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day- it seemed appropriate to re-run a memory about real love. So here is a re post of something that happened in Nepal in 1987.
Daniel was in New Delhi while Sean and I were up in Nepal. My hands were full juggling my toddler and making
sure a team of people were taken care of.
After running around getting
bus rides secured for Pokhara and various other destinations....the
team arrived. Everything went like clockwork and before I knew it they
were gone. The day after the team left, I decided I would just relax.
With a book in hand, I trotted outside and told Sean to play in the
grass. My head was buried in my book for quite some time, a quick glance
up every now and then told me Sean was fine. I must have gotten lost in
the story, because the next thing I knew I heard screaming from around
the house. I jumped up and ran towards the yelling.
There stood
one of the young girls from the children's home. She was pulling Sean out of a
hole- this wasn't just any hole- this was the cesspool- the place all
the human refuse went into. Someone forgot to put the cover over the
hole and Sean fell in. If the little girl didn't pull Sean out of the hole
he would have drowned in that muck. I swooped him up in my arms. He was
coughing. I couldn't be happier to hear him cough, because at least
that meant he was alive! After a thorough shower, I thought all was going
to be fine. Unfortunately, a few days later he lay sick in bed. He was
dying. (literally)
My sister helped me get him to the hospital
and after several blood tests and stool samples, the doctors were
shocked. They said he had every kind of dysentery a person could have. I
enlightened them about his trip down into the cesspool. Nothing more
needed to be said. They informed me that he was very ill and might not
survive. When you hear that your son might not survive, you just want your husband to be next to
you- you want him to say "It's gonna be okay"
I told my
sister to stay with Sean, and I rushed down to the Post Office and sent a
telegram to India. "Sean dying. stop. Need your prayers. stop."
Daniel told me later, that he started crying when he received the telegram. He
knew he wanted to put a little faith into action. He wanted to get up
to Nepal to see me, but he had no money to pay for his ticket. His story
is that he was kneeling at his bed praying with his hands lifted up in
the air and his eye caught sight of his gold wedding ring. He stood up
immediately and went to sell the ring so he could fly up to see
me.
A second problem he faced was that he had never been to Nepal
and he had no idea where I was. He spoke with someone who had been there
and they tried to explain the way to him.
"You take a taxi from
the airport to Boudha, and then you tell them to keep driving past the
Stupa, you'll see a huge red house and you keep going...then you'll see a
white house....but that isn't the one yet...you go further, and finally
you will see another white house and the house you want is behind that
house."
Believe it or not, he found the right house! Love can
make a man do impossible things. I had no idea he was coming. When I
saw him standing in front of me, I just screamed and started blubbering.
I scared the pants off the two Nepali men standing next to me.
Sean eventually got better. Twelve years later we bought a new ring
to replace the one Daniel sold. It never bothered me that he didn't have his original wedding ring, because every time I looked at his ring
less finger, it reminded me of how much he loved Sean and me.
Herein lies a labyrinth of memories...past and present... this is best navigated by going to the very beginning of the blog... it is in the first posts, from March 2008, in which the heart of this blog is found
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Had read this before and reading it again, but each time the effect is the same! God bless all of you. and Your husband, really he is the ultimate hero!goosebumps!
ReplyDeleteWell, I am bias- but I do believe he is the ultimate hero.
DeleteThank you, actually, if not for you reading this, I would not have re read it and decided to post it today :)...I so enjoyed all your comments as you made your way through the older posts.
What an incredible story! I am so glad your husband made it to you and your son recovered. That's such a terrifying situation!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my all time favorite memories- and it makes me swell up with love for my hubby every time I remember it. Someone had read this in one of my back posts recently- and I'm so glad they did, because it was a great reminder (once again) & a chance to repost.
Deletethere was a hindi movie called 'tum bin' which had caption which said 'love will find a way' guess its true after all.my belief in fairy tails is even more firm now
ReplyDeleteoh yes, love ALWAYS finds a way :) not a fairy tale but real life ...that is the best kind of love story.
Deletemy eyes were moist! god bless you all!
ReplyDeletei just couldn't imagine being in that dreadful situation of seeing your son sick & dying.
when i read that telegram you wrote, i thought, "how her hand must have shivered to write those words"
and when i read that he literally ran to be with you guys,it was so touching.
yes, real life love stories are the best
yes, real life love stories are always the best!! (and they are often more unbelievable than any fictionalized story)
DeleteSuch a moving story. I wish you a happy Valentine's Day! =)
ReplyDeletehttp://pinkchampagnefashion.blogspot.com/
Thank you for visiting.
DeleteIncredible Anjuli! What a nightmare to go through.. Happy Valentine:)
ReplyDeleteloved your poem!
DeleteHaving seen my own son battle broncho pneumonia from the moment he was born, I can well imagine the turmoil a mother can go through seeing her little one struggling to survive.. Touched my heart to read your account, and do agree that just knowing that you have the love of your loved ones can do wonders!!
ReplyDeleteOh sorry to hear of his ongoing battle with broncho pneumonia- it is never easy for us parents to watch our children suffering.
DeleteYes, the love of our loved ones does wonders.
Sigh. This is so beautifully touching.
ReplyDeletethank you Zeba!
Deletethe shoes were incredibly cute!!
ReplyDeleteLoved it :).
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful story.
thank you!
DeleteNo wonder you remember this time so well.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been terribly traumatic, but soothed by your husband's devotion and your son's recovery.
Great reading.
:) you probably remember this as it was a repost from my old blog. Yes, my husband has a way of soothing me no matter what.
DeleteBrought tears to my eyes, what a profound tale, Anjuli. Lin xx
ReplyDeleteLove to remember this story- because it is just ONE of the reasons I love my hubby so much.
DeleteI couldnt stop my tears. I was deeply saddened and pained to see the amount of trouble and pain and sorrow you guys had to go through. And I was also touched and moved to see the amount of love you all have for each other. And was sooo happy that Sean is hale and healthy now. I wish you guys all the happiness in the world. :)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Sean is more than healthy- with his second child coming in April! :)-- and I'm happy because I have received the good news that Sean and my granddaughter Kailynn will be flying in for a visit this weekend. YES!!!!! :) SO happy right now! :)
DeleteWoww... that is soooo awesome. :) Have a wonderful time with Sean and Kailynn. :)
DeleteI have read this earlier but even today tears stung my eyes....I was just thinking of ur state of mind then. God really hears our prayers, doesn't he:-)).
ReplyDeleteI always get tears in my eyes when I remember this memory- and I try to remember when I'm particularly mad or upset at Daniel :) it helps me REMEMBER how much he loved me and then my anger dissipates. ;)
DeleteAll I can say is - Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Thankful too to read that Sean is enjoying time with a precious little one and another on the way. God is good! Deb
ReplyDeleteDeb- yes God is indeed sooo good!!
Delete