war is over

here's a little story for the evening.

my grandmother, susanna brown,
was a little girl in grantsville, ut when the war ended.
when it was broadcast for all the nation,
people were running into the streets, celebrating, shouting.
the excitement was everywhere.

above the jovialities,
the loud, familiar sound of the school bell caught her ear.
how perfect to ring that beautiful bell to rejoice!
the memory of this lovely sound would stay with her for years.

across town,
a young boy named charlie johnson saw the happy hysteria abounding in grantsville,
and wanted to do something wonderful to join in.

he ran to the first place he could think of,
the schoolhouse.
running up the stairs with excitement,
he finally made it to the top to ring the bell with all his might.
it just felt like the right thing to do.

charles johnson is,
you guessed it,
my grandfather.

these two would meet ten years later,
only to be wed,
have six children,
and 25+ grandchildren.
married for over 50 years!

my grandmother has no idea why that bell ringing was so memorable.
my grandfather doesn't know why it just felt right to ring that bell,
but one day as an old married couple they would recall that day and discover that their ears, their hearts, their souls were on the same wavelength in that instant.

i simply love this little moment,
that two people who were destined to be together
would be connected for that little moment in their childhood.

some things are just meant to be remembered.