It’s Sunday evening as I write this blog. Earlier this afternoon, I pulled out a photo album of a trip hubby and I did to England over two decades ago. He had seen a photograph this past week on Facebook and said it looked so familiar. I immediately recognized the place—we had passed through the Cotswolds on our journey, and I’d aptly named this place “my very own Lilliput Lane” (I was an avid collector of those little molded clay houses back then).
Anyway, tucked in front of the album I found an envelope of photographs of a different trip to England, one I’d taken with my parents and son, then twelve, in 1999. I found a beautiful photo of my mom and dad taken on that same holiday together.
Earlier in the week I had photographed a hanging on my kitchen wall for a 7-Day photo challenge I was tagged in on Facebook. I had given my parents these two wall hangings as gifts on one of their last Christmases. The words of the one hanging at the top resounded with me when I found this photo of my parents—“Grow old with me, the best is yet to come.” And they did grow old together, passing away at the ages of 88 and 87, and married for almost 66 years. Now, together for eternity in heaven, the best has come. What a privilege to grow up in a family where my parents loved each other so much that my dad couldn’t live without my mom, following her to heaven 33 days after she died.
My 6½ year old grandson, who was nearly 5 when they passed away, and who knows that Oupa and Ouma Grootjie (great grandpa and grandma) have gone to live in heaven, picked up the photo and asked, “Is this heaven?”
His comment made me reflect on how this photo, and every photo I have of my parents, are like postcards from heaven—memories of special days gone by.
Today we celebrated my husband’s 56th birthday, and of course the camera was constantly flashing, making sweet memories. Noel’s father never made his 56th birthday, passing away at the age of 53, merely six weeks before our wedding. It’s hard to think that my mother-in-law was younger than I am when she was widowed. Noel and I, ironically, spent the evening watching the movie, PS. I Love You, which is the love story of Holly and Gerry and the meaningful messages, most in the form of letters and all ending with “I love you”, that Gerry arranges to have delivered to Holly after his death. The messages encourage her, sending her on new adventures and a journey of rediscovery. One line stuck out at me during the movie: “What a privilege it is to grow old together.”
I pray that Noel and I, like my mom and dad, will be blessed to be together until we’re old, wrinkly, and gray. But nobody is guaranteed tomorrow. So while we still walk this earth together, I’ll take these photos, make these memories, because one day they will be our postcards from heaven—either for me, or for Noel, or for our children and grandchildren.
USA Today bestselling author, MARION UECKERMANN’s passion for writing was sparked when she moved to Ireland with her family. Her love of travel has influenced her contemporary inspirational romances set in novel places. Marion and her husband again live in South Africa and are setting their sights on retirement when they can join their family in the beautiful Cape.
What a blessing, thanks for sharing your family and obviously loved and cherished moments. The road is not always easy, but I pray that my husband and I have a lifetime here together, but more importantly, eternity together in Heaven.
Thanks Marion and Happy Birthday to your husband:)
Beautiful post, Marion. Your parent’s relationship sounds very much like my own. Married for 56 years, my father treats my mother as though they were just married yesterday. As he struggles to deal with her dementia diagnosis, his patience and love for her seems to grow stronger with each passing day.
This is beautiful Marion, thank you for sharing. I love the idea of postcards from Heaven being the photos you take today or yesteryear. What beautiful memories there will be for your family. A true love book that speaks louder than words.
Thought provoking post about keeping memories alive for our children and grandchildren. For Christmas 2012, I gave my sons their childhood photo albums and added this quote, “Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.” ~From the television show The Wonder Years.
My parents had a wonderful relationship. They were married 59 years when my mom passed at age 86. My dad lived another 7 years and lived to be 96. To have my son remember their Oma and Opa and my grandchildren to remember their great grandfather, I gave each son a Christmas ornament with my parents picture to hang on their Christmas tree.
Happy birthday to your husband. Keeping making memories and preserving them in your wonderful photos. Best wishes on your upcoming adventure.
I love this post. Grow old with me. That resonated with me. We grow old with our earthly relationships but we also can grow old with God. As we grow old with our spouses, our families, we can grow old in our walk with God. As we experience and grow in family ties, we can experience and grow in our walk with God. Wonderful post!!
Thanks so much :) Yes, eternity is all that matters.
Thank you , Jill. We are so blessed to have parents like that to learn from in our own marriages.
Thanks so much, Margaret. They truly are, because we will always have those cherished memories in a visual, tangible way. I’m so glad that we have many, many memories…
Thanks so much, Renate. What a wonderful idea for Christmas ornaments. Can’t wait to make more memories with Noel in Finland, UK and Italy in 10 more weeks :)
Thank you so much, Sally … an to think on Saturday night I had no idea what I wanted to blog about. Then the photo happened, and the rest is … well, my blog post :)
Simply beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Julianne :)
LOVE this post! Memories and pictures really are our wonderful treasures! We have been married for 40 years, and we love growing old together. Now I will be thinking of our photos as “postcards from heaven.” Love, Love, LOVE!!
Aw, thanks so much, Becky :) I loved the line in that movie … it’s a privilege to grow old together. Indeed it is.
Love your post and I pray that you and your hubby will experience n enjoy many more to come. You opened my eyes and I need to start documenting our memories also. I am really horrible at capturing memories but I think it’s a great ide. So thank you ?
Thanks, Colleen. So glad the blog was meaningful to you :)
My parents were married 55 years before my dad passed away at 76. My mom spent 12 years without him, which she found difficult. My husband’s parents are in their 59th year together! Oh the memories, the stories… :)
Hard as it was to lose both parents in such a short space of time, I am glad my dad didn’t have to do life without my mom. Suffering from altzheimer’s he didn’t understand her death, and kept asking where she was. Each time we had to tell him, he relived the agony of hearing the news. The day after her death we decided that wasn’t going to work, so we told him she was visiting. But, he was just lost without her. I am forever grateful to our Heavenly Father, for letting us have so many years with our parents, and them with each other.
Beautiful post and so true. My hubby passed away in 1997 the day before his 56th birthday after 31 years of marriage. I love my picture memories.
They are wonderful reminders of those we love who are no longer with us. I’m so grateful for every photo I have of my parents, and get so excited when I find a new one I didn’t realize existed :) So glad you have picture memories of your beloved hubby.
What a beautiful story. I pray my husband and I will also have the privilege to grow old together.. and take many pictures as a postcard to our memories together.
Beautiful, Marion! Praying that you and Noel grow wonderfully old together!
Thank you, Priscila. I need to make more postcard memories, too :)
Thanks, Autumn. You and your hubby, too :)
Lovely post and fabulous memories Marion. Thanks for the ideas it stimulates!
My sweet little sister, what a lovely post and tribute to our parents. Reading this I could so relate to it all. I often play videos of mom and dad just to hear their voices again. So thankful that we live in the era of technology and that we could have so many precious memories saved of them. Memories to laugh over, cry over and reflect on two amazing lives who went before us. Thank you for this beautiful post, and may you and Noel grow old together on paths of love and happiness. Love you xxx
Thanks, Shirl…and you’re welcome ?
Thanks, Sis. Yes, we are blessed, beyond measure in so many ways. Love you, too. Xxx
Awww sweet post Marion!! I love seeing all the different pictures of your family & seeing the love there too. I think it’s cute that your grandson thought the photo of Oupa and Ouma was of heaven :-)
I’ve read other accounts where a couple have been married for many years and passed away within minutes or even days of each other. I’d like to think it’s because they are just too heartbroken to live without the other & shows how much they really loved each other. I don’t mean that to be morbid at all! When you have that many years with the love of your life, it’s so sweet :-)
I have many photos on my digital camera I really need to get off & your post has encouraged me to do so!
Beautiful post Marion and your advice is good. Photos of loved ones who go ahead of us to heaven are so precious.