How Do You Love?

The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he had told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg.

It had been a year since Lois, thirty-four, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity. Once a fiercely independent woman, Lois now felt condemned by this terrible twist of fate to become a powerless, helpless burden on everyone around her.

"How could this have happened to me?" she would plead, her heart knotted with anger. But no matter how much she cried or ranted, she knew the painful truth her sight was never going to return. A cloud of depression hung over Lois's once optimistic spirit. Just getting through each day was an exercise in frustration and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her husband Nick.

Nick was an Air Force officer and he loved Lois with all of his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again. Nick's military background had trained him well to deal with sensitive situations, and yet he knew this was the most difficult battle he would ever face.

Finally, Lois felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Nick volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city.

At first, this comforted Lois and fulfilled Nick's need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task. Soon, however, Nick realized that this arrangement was not working - it was hectic, and costly. Lois is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But just the thought of mentioning it to her made him cringe. She was still so fragile, so angry. How would she react?

Just as Nick predicted, Lois was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. "I am blind!" she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I am going? I feel like you are abandoning me."

Nick's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. Nick promised Lois that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened. For two solid weeks, Nick, military uniform and all, accompanied Lois to and from work each day. Nick taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment.

Nick helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her and save her a seat. Nick made her laugh, even on those not-so-good days when she would trip exiting the bus or drop her briefcase. Each morning they made the journey together and Nick would take a cab back to his office. Although this routine was even more costly and exhausting than the previous one, Nick knew it was only a matter of time before Lois would be able to ride the bus on her own. Nick believed in her, in the Lois he used to know before she would lost her sight, who was not afraid of any challenge and who would never, ever quit.

Finally, Lois decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Nick, her temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. Lois said good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday... Each day on her own went perfectly and Lois had never felt better. Lois was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!

On Friday morning, Lois took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying for her fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Lady, you are a very lucky woman."

Lois was not sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year? Curious, she asked the driver, "Why do you say that you envy me?"

The driver responded, "It must feel so good to be taken care of and protected like you are."

Lois had no idea what the driver was talking about, and asked again, "What do you mean?"

The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you when you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches you until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky woman."

Tears of happiness poured down Lois's cheeks. For although she could not physically see him, she had always felt Nick's presence. Lois was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she did not need to see to believe.

"if he/she had spent so much effort, time and money to earn the money to buy the gift, and to take the time out and take note of my preferences in buying this gift, I am very grateful and blessed and I enjoy it"

If you love me, you do what I have commanded you to do... Jesus

Take action TODAY: One year from today, you'll be one year older. What would you have done by then?

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