Brialee Turner

Rainbows stream through the windows and land on my hands, the table, and the books on the table.

We smile as a sweet old man and his wife sit across from us. They are so happy and we feel safe and whole in their home.

We have just eaten dinner together and before that, the husband took us outside to see the orange groves in his backyard and the chicken coop that he got for his birthday. He is as old as the prophet, and full of energy. His chickens are the color of rust and he laughs as they eat his geranium plant, saying it’s like a “salad” to the chickens.

We go inside and dinner is almost ready. He asks us if we have any questions for him. We ask him what he is most grateful for everyday, and he says “life”. He tells us all about his travels over the globe.

Over dinner of orange chicken and rice, they tell us how they met and about their children. They turn to each other and say, “Raising our kids was quite the experience.” We ask their secret of how they have been married for over 70 years. He turns to his wife and smiling says, “Well, we just try to be kind to each other.”

They are so proud of their children and they show us around their home. He points out pictures of their grandchildren, their family tree, and art from the kids. He says, “Each kid is different but they all have different talents, and we love ’em.”

She has a beautiful smile and looks like a queen with her white hair and sparkling eyes. His eyes crinkle when he smiles and his shoulders lift in a cheerful shrug when he laughs.

They give us the gift of a still and peaceful home. They share how much they love their family, their values, and their faith. Their whole focus is love and gentleness.

I feel like heaven is giving me a warm hug. This is what families are meant to be, and I know in my heart that the divine is aware of exactly where I am. I feel that same love radiating from my heart and it lingers through the rest of the night.