Love is the first word in the name of this homepage. Love comes first because it is most important. John teaches us:

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

1, John 4; 16

The kind of love that is meant here “is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (Corinthians 13:4-8)

I recently read about a true event that applies to this kind of love we are talking about here. A big thanks to Diego Colombo who captured this moment of deep love in the photo shown and who very readily gave his consent to spread the love through this story.

The picture shows the first hug after 101 separated days. The hundred year old Guido entered the retirement home just before its closure due to COVID-19. His wife Maria (93) was supposed to join him a few days later. However, due to the forced isolation of the structure, her entry was only possible after 101 days.

They were never separated before. Not even for a single day… in 70 years of marriage. 101 days in which Guido prayed every single morning to be able to hug her again soon, to be able to live long enough to be able to see her at least once… because “without her I do not live”.

And Maria has finally arrived. She got out of the car of her children and on her shaky legs she quickened her step, hearing the voice of her husband who was waiting for her in a wheelchair in the lobby in front of the church of the structure. “You arrived” he murmurs… then the voice breaks in his throat. She lowers the mask with which she had traveled and the little miracle that can be seen in the picture occurred: his wife gently embracing with the hand the neck of Guido, he bents in her direction and leaning his head forward, resting it against her cheek… abandoning himself to her hug, crying in silence.

There were no words to express what they were feeling… and perhaps after 70 years together, the words would have been superfluous. They gave free rein to their tears… they let their emotions go and they stayed there for a long time before asking to be accompanied to the salon. At the table he took her hand and whispered “now we will never leave each other”. She took a tissue from her sleeve, wiped her eyes and then stroked his cheek with that familiar intimacy, built brick by brick in decades of proximity.

“I brought you new shirts,” she said, smiling radiantly as if she was a young girl on her first date. It went on like this… between hugs, caresses, hands intertwined on the table, tears, happiness to have re-found one another and new shirts … in spite of the virus and 101 long days of distance. Because the love of Maria and Guido was their best antidote to Coronavirus.

What a wonderful couple and after so many years they more than many others fully embody and live love – accepting one another without demanding, waiting for one another, being there and supporting each other. Showing up every single day and surrender to their love that has turned to a fully spiritual one. Let’s incorporate and remember in our everyday life:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Corinthians 13:4-8