The love of my life is a mender. I did not know this when we first met, as it was dates back then and his things were with him and mine with me but as people who love each are inclined to do, we eventually brought our things together under one roof. Together, we have lost and gained things but there is one constant in all the change: what we do have, breaks.
A pair of jeans snag a sharp corner and tear, a sock heel wears through, a strap snaps or a DVD player explodes.
Or perhaps the brakes on the bike Squeak so much that it warrants earplugs when going downhill.
Or the inverter we purchased to keep our favourite North American appliances running in Europe stops working. Or I drop the waffle iron and the dial cracks and it won’t turn on.
Or when we had our truck the middle console was stuck shut and would not open not matter how angrily or gently I hammered or coaxed it.
But he has a Mending Mind, and perhaps his tool is not thread, or wool or a patch but he doctors the broken things back together. I patch the jeans; he opens up the DVD player. It’s a preference of jobs. Although, we can both be found muttering under our breaths in the height of a Repair because it is not always easy.
This has been a trait that revealed itself as needed and it is one of the traits I cherish most. To mend. As our relationship continues I have learnt that waffle iron dials crack when dropped, but sometimes my calm demeanor too cracks when stressed. A DVD player has exploded under our current roof, and so have our tempers and words.
But because we mend things, we know that items can break, will break, and that they can be cared back to their usual ways. Same with us fragile humans, especially when the going gets tough.
Gosh, I am grateful to love a mender.
Happy St. Valentine’s Day.
P.S
Should you have mixed feelings about Valentine’s Day remember that Saint Valentine was also the patron saint of beekeepers. Something sweet to consider.
From the Swiss Photo album: a rusted steel door with a keyhole, belonging to an old chapel on my walking route.
"Three keys to more abundant living: caring about others, daring for others, sharing with others." - William Arthur Ward