Susan Lafferty“What’s your name?” I ask. And the man stumbles over his answer.
Gives me one response. Then another.
At first I think it’s miscommunication. I’m still learning culture and language, after all.
But soon I hear the story behind the struggle.
His story.
My mother’s response when things didn’t go as planned?
I can hear it now.
“The best-laid plans of mice and men…” her voice trails off. Not completing the quote from the poet, Robert Burns.
But I know. And the words run through my head.
“…often go awry.”
Faithfulness. My parents just celebrated a milestone. Their 66th wedding anniversary.
Sixty-six years traveling together across oceans. Living in tropical urban centers and American towns.
A journey marked by great joys. Victories.
And deeply painful losses. Hurts. Dark nights.
The thread running through it all? Faithfulness.
