The young man noticed the older couple walking toward him at a slow and labored pace
The older man clinging to the older woman…his arm around her waist.
They stopped along the water’s edge…he gave her an embrace.
Then he stepped back, said “Smile”…as he put the camera to his face.
The young man walked to them instinctively…knowing what he should do
“Would you like me to take your picture?” he asked, “a picture of the two of you?
He took their picture, then another…and suddenly…on a whim
The old man grabbed the camera…said “Smile” then took a picture of him.
They chatted together for a while even filled a few more camera frames…
by the time they were ready to part they knew each others names.
He hugged them goodbye and wished the couple well
feeling lucky they had brightened his day.
But he felt the old man touch his shoulder as he slowly walked away.
“I just want to thank you”, the old man said, “for taking our picture.”
“For the few moments that you stayed…
For your smile…for your kindness…
for the memories you made.”
He said he and his wife had traveled the world together
He spoke of the memories they’d amassed
But, he said, his wife was dying and this trip would be their last.
He said they have found that some of the greatest moments in life
are the ones that are unrehearsed
and he thanked him again for making one of their last memories
as beautiful as their first.
The young man walked back and gave the wife a hug
He could feel her fragility as she whispered thank you in his ear…
He left them sitting, looking over the water,
without looking back…
He didn’t want them to see his tears.
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