A Love Like Theirs

Isn’t this one of the sweetest pictures you’ve ever seen?  These precious hands belong to my aunt Macy and my uncle Dick.  They have been married for 67 years.  These two are the greatest role model of a loving, Christian marriage that I have ever known or even heard about.  Their devotion to each other is both exemplary and immeasurable.  Since Dick’s retirement several years ago, they have literally been almost inseparable.  When you see one, you see the other😊  In fact, my husband and I were talking recently about how Macy and Dick just never leave each other’s side for more than a few minutes and my husband said to me, “Honey, I love you with all my heart but I don’t think I could do that.”  (I totally understand!  I need my “me” time, too.)

Unfortunately they have both been dealing with health issues for awhile now, and then a few weeks ago Macy fell and broke her hip.  This was the first time in MANY years that they had to spend the night apart.  However, Dick would go visit her every single day while she was in the hospital and rehab.  He would even call her first thing in the morning before going to the hospital and again at night after he got home.  This picture was taken during Macy’s hospital stay.

Macy is my mama’s sister and the baby of 8 siblings.  There are only two left…Macy and Mama, the two youngest.  Because of such a large family I was blessed to have MANY wonderful uncles and aunts, and they were all very special to me.  However, Macy and Dick have always been my favorites.  In fact, my youngest memory is of time I spent with them when I was a toddler.  It seems they loved to babysit me, and they spoiled me silly.  I have to admit that I always “thought” I was their favorite too, but after growing up I came to realize that they somehow made all of us nieces and nephews feel we were their favorite. 

         This is me with my sweet aunt & uncle

Macy is the sweetest lady you will ever meet, soft spoken and quick to tell you that she loves you.  You never see her that she isn’t dressed to perfection and not one hair out of place.  In my eyes, she has always been the perfect wife and mother.  Most of her married life she was a stay-at-home mom with my cousins Timothy and Lori.  Sadly, they lost Timothy several years ago.  Dick has always been my knight in shining armor, so handsome, and one of the biggest teasers to anyone he loves and cares about.  When you are in his presence you can be sure that there will be lots of laughter.  They are such exemplary Christian people, always letting others see Jesus in the way they live their lives and in the way they love BIG. Dick has been a deacon in his small Baptist church (where I grew up) for as long as I can remember.  I love them both more than words can express.

Right now my heart is heavy because yesterday (after a slow & difficult but steady recovery), Macy had a brain bleed and as I write this she is awaiting decisions on how to proceed.  I’ve been awake most of the night worrying and praying.  I’m now sitting by the phone waiting to hear what is next.  She has had scoliosis for years and has suffered valiantly through a lot of daily pain, yet you will not hear her complain.  And furthermore since she and Dick still live in their home, she has taken care of her beloved husband without missing a beat.

If you are a praying person, may I ask that you send up a prayer (or two) for my aunt Macy, for peace, comfort, and total healing…and also for my uncle Dick, for wisdom and courage to know how to proceed as well as for his own health concerns.  Also for my cousin Lori who has willingly and lovingly stepped in to help them as much as she can, although she lives several hours away from them. 

If you could meet Macy and Dick, I promise you would immediately fall in love with them and they would make you feel as if you had known them all your life.  This old world sometimes gets me down when I see the evil that is broadcast on the daily news each day, but when I look into the faces of my aunt and uncle I am reminded that there are still some wonderful, loving, caring, gentle people out there; and I am so thankful to call both of them MINE.

I love you, Macy…please get well because you are such a special part of our family and because you have always been and always will be someone I look up to and love dearly. 

             Your niece, Cheri