How The Story Began and How The Story Ended

Today I did something I guess all friends do for one another, attend the memorial service of a loved one. Han's mother had passed away at the age of 94. As I sat and listened to the service I imagined a movie begin to roll of the life of an amazing couple.
Herman, Han's father stood and said he would tell us "How the story began and how the story ended." He was drafted into Hitler's army and sent to a work camp in what is now known as Kaliningrad. Obtaining a weekend off, Herman, decided to ride the train to the Baltic sea and enjoy the beaches and water for the weekend. His plan was interrupted by a young lady, Else, who he spotted sitting alone in the back of the train. He liked what he saw and moved to meet and talk to her. He was so captivated by her that he forgot to get off the train at his destination and ended up traveling with her to visit her father in a hospital. Pacing outside the hospital until she finished her visit, he talked more with Else and eventually invited her to visit him in Hamburg, were he lived. The rest is a love story that had them getting married on November 14, 1936. Yes that is right, they have been married for 71 years!. The end was quiet and peaceful in her room at Clarehouse, a God anointed place for those in the last days of their life.
Else in her youth was a gymnast, performing in front of Field Marshall Hindenburg of Germany (go look up name and learn the history.) She loved swimming and became a lifeguard. She lived through World War II in Hamburg Germany. Had three children and waited for Herman to be released from French captivity after the war. On July 21, 1957 they arrived in the United States. Else was 44 years old. She began a new life with her family, learning to speak English, getting a job, raising a family. Herman said the two things that really attracted him to Else was that she did not smoke and, most important of all, Else had a deep faith in Jesus Christ. A faith that they have passed on to their children and their children's children and so on.
I grieved for the family and yet I walked away encouraged. I felt like I was given an honored look into the life of a special person. I would have loved to have known Else. I know I would have been a better person for it.

So as I always say, when you meet an elderly person - who you see is really not who they were. Remember that next time. And by the way remember you will one day be that elderly person and I pray someone will look at you and wonder who you were.