Two Special Fellas…
I took my mom out for her 78th birthday last week and posted lots of pics of our outing to JG Skyhigh. She drank amaretto, ordered her favorite desserts and looked out onto the Philadelphia skyline with a sparkle in her eyes.
As per normal, I took pictures to document and share this auspicious occasion on social media. But there was one photo I didn’t include….this picture of Jason and Joe, our dates for the evening. They were waiting for us to return from the ladies room and I found them pointing out their favorite spots in the city.
To anyone standing in that lobby or on social media, this photo means nothing. But the moment struck me.
My mom was still in the ladies room, so I quietly stood in awe of these two men, sharing a moment. Truth be told, they probably weren’t saying anything special, but I marveled over how fate had brought them together and how lucky my mom and I were to be loved by them.
Three years ago, my mom and my life had fallen apart, one by death and the other divorce. Now, these two amazing men feel honored, perhaps even lucky, to sit by our sides for dinner. They likely wouldn’t have met any other way, other than finding something special in two “Querubin” girls.
I snapped this photo because it was a moment worth remembering. It reminds me where I was years ago, feeling hopeless, not sure if I’d ever find someone who would love me the way I yearned to be loved….or if I even deserved it.
But I do deserve it. I know that now. My mom deserves it, too, and I’d like to think the boys were thinking they deserved that kind of love in their lives as well.
When your life is falling apart this kind of simple joy feels out of reach. Being with someone who loves you and treats you with a gentle kindness you’ve never known, is a blessing. Thankfully, I’m learning these moments can happen any time…in any decade of your life. You just need to put yourself out there to find it.
This is only her 2nd drink.
(I included this picture of my mom completely drunk on amaretto to give this essay some balance.")
