As Time Goes By

Sunday night we watched the third episode of BBC's adaptation of Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell. Cranford is a charming miniseries about a fictional village and its inhabitants primarily the single and widowed middle class females. It's a lovely story and film; I highly recommend it to anyone and especially to costume drama lovers. If you haven't seen it be forewarned that there will be spoilers in this blog post!!! I'm not going to completely ruin the whole story but I am going to tell a little,...... so consider yourself warned!

One of my favorite characters, Miss. Matty, is a single, sweet, sixty something gentile lady. She is an old maid. In her youth she had a "prospect", she loved a man, a farmer named Mr. Holbrook, and he loved her. He asked for her hand in marriage and she refused him. She didn't wish to upset her family who had been through much trouble and "wounded Mr. Holbrook instead of them."

Now, some thirty years later they get a second chance, time has removed the obstacles that stood in their way. With great gentleness he begins to court her. Cautiously and prudently they begin to hope and let themselves feel again the first love that was cut short in its bloom. He asks for her hand in marriage a second time but doesn't pressure her for an answer, as he puts it: "Haste has never been our hallmark Miss Matilda. We would be unshaped if we began to move at speed." She will give him her answer when he returns from Paris. She is so in love, like a young girl she blushes and glows from the slightest attention from him. She dreams of hope, love and a future tucking his letters under her pillow. On his return journey Mr. Holbrook catches pneumonia and dies. All the hopes and dreams of this sweet old maid are once again lost and the second disappointment is so much worse than the first. She grieves and mourns for him and dresses as a widow from that day on. "For I had loved thee more than ever wife was loved."

So sweet, SO SAD! The first time I saw it I cried long and hard. It's a hard episode for me to watch. Now I know you're wondering why I'm telling this depressing story.... but just hold on I've got a happy story to tell you!

So Monday morning, at work, a middle aged couple and an elderly couple in their seventies came into the restaurant. They asked to be seated at a large table and if they might bring in their own cake to eat, a wedding cake. I noticed that the elderly couple was wearing white corsages. I asked "Oh, is it your anniversary?" "It's a wedding" they said and I said "wedding anniversary?" and He said "No, we were married today. It's our wedding." He affectionately puts his arm around his bride and she glows. I was completely taken back! Here were two people who were no longer young or even middle aged but have lived long and full lives, and they were beginning a new life together. Having both been married and widowed they met and fell in love. Their first "date"(which was 2 and 1/2 hours long) was in this very restaurant where they were celebrating their wedding. They were so happy, so proud, so excited for the future, as in love as any young couple I've ever known, but there was so much more in their love.... So much wisdom, they knew what they had and they knew what to do with it. They were taking this precious gift with thankfulness and joy! It was unlike anything I've ever seen, truly beautiful!


I couldn't help but think of Miss Matty and Mr. Holbrook and there lost love... I was so encouraged by this lovely couple who were given a chance to love and be loved, to look forward to a future together even when time seemed to be against them.

Linda said they were "Crazy!"

I said "Crazy in love!"