Wednesday, September 4, 2013

YOU LEFT ME





By Linda Wood Rondeau

Surprise…Surprise…Surprise

Remember Jim Nabors, Gomer Pyle, who smiled with every new twist and turn in his life? I love surprises. And I hope I never get too old to appreciate the new or the old with a twist. This blog is dedicated to life at its fullest. Not every surprise brings joyous news, like a flooded kitchen sink in the middle of a holiday dinner.

 But every surprise is a reminder that life is far from boring.
My husband and I stopped at an IHOP on our way to New York City to visit our son for Thanksgiving. Even an IHOP is a treat…we don’t eat out that much. But we were met with a surprise in a place where we thought no one would know anything about us or that, at the time, we were approaching our 33rd anniversary.

I left for a few minutes to go to the ladies room. When I came back, I saw my husband’s neck stretched, perhaps looking for me. Maybe I was gone a little longer than expected. 

When I sat down, an elderly man came to our table and handed us a poem he’d scribbled on a napkin, written in the voice of my husband. What a special moment, found at random. Made us want to give back a little…a random kindness in return to perhaps give someone else the pleasure of a surprise.

YOU LEFT ME by Joe Testo

My Darling, you left me
                For minute or two
                Though that is not much
                Still I missed you
                So I thank the Good Lord up above
                For giving me you
                My Darling, to love.


                Give someone a random surprise today. In fact, come back and let us know about it.

Winner of the 2012 Selah Award for best first novel The Other Side of Darkness/Harbourlight,  LINDA WOOD RONDEAU, writes stories of God’s mercies. Walk with her unforgettable characters as they journey paths not unlike our own. After a long career in human services, Linda now resides in Jacksonville, Florida.
Linda’s best-selling Adirondack Romance, It Really IS a Wonderful Life, is published by Lighthouse of the Carolinas and is available wherever books are sold.
These books are also available in ebook format along with her other ebooks by Helping Hands Press: IPrayed for Patience/God Gave Me Children and Days of Vines and Roses. A Christmas novel, Joy Comes to Dinsmore Street, and a novella, A Christmas Prayer will be released this fall and Songs in the Valley is scheduled for release in 2014. 
Readers may visit her web site at www.lindarondeau.com or email her at lindarondeau@gmail.com  or find her on Facebook, Twitter, PInterest, and Goodreads


12 comments:

http://solowomenathomeandabroad.blogspot.com/ said...

Great, Linda! And it's impressive that you've been able to be so productive at "our time of life." I love the Geezers and Gals LinkedIn group!

http://solowomenathomeandabroad.blogspot.com/ said...

Great, Linda! And it's impressive that you've been able to be so productive at "our time of life." I love the Geezers and Gals LinkedIn group!

Carol said...

I love this story! It is the unexpected surprise that sticks in our brains. Great writing, Linda!

Linda Wood Rondeau said...

Carol,

It truly reminds me not to be afraid to interact with someone we've never met before. We are all connected.

Linda Robinson said...

That was so sweet. I know you'll cherish it.

Linda Wood Rondeau said...

@ Linda Robinson

Thanks for stopping by. I will treasure the memory

Caroline said...

Linda, what a precious story! Reminds me when we lived in a small city w/an older couple within spitting distance of our house. One day they gave us a lovely poem (I think it was) about us, and I still have that tucked away somewhere. They're gone now, but every once in awhile I think of them fondly.

David said...

One of those wonderful, random acts of kindness. Thanks Linda.

J.B. DiNizo said...

Lovely!! The saddest times in life are those when I think of people who have passed and wish they were back at my side to share moments and thoughts.

Linda Wood Rondeau said...

Caroline, David, and J.B

Thanks for stopping by. Yes, these moments give us pause.

Claude Forthomme said...

How lovely, Linda!

Just back from a week off the Net (was on vacation to Amsterdam to celebrate my husband's birthday)so this is my first comment now I'm back on the Net and read your post - what a sweet, lovely poem...

Linda Wood Rondeau said...

Claude...thanks trust your vacation was full of wonderful memories