Jeremy's Love

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I felt a wave of self-consciousness when I realized my brother wanted me to attend his staff work party. His manager was being transferred and it was her good-bye party.
He looked across the car at me with those big brown eyes and said,
"Family is invited too."
I hadn't done much with my hair, which was frizzed out because of the rain and my eyes looked tired. 


But Jeremy asking me to go with him was rare.  


So with a quick once over with the lipstick, while Jeremy stated he could wait, I found myself following him into his party.


Thinking about it now, I'm really glad Jeremy sat us across from a group of younger women who wouldn't even look at me, let alone talk to me.  It gave me the chance to do something this sanguine socialite usually doesn't get to do, be quiet and observe my brother.


Among all the babies and food and chatter and balloons and an endless stream of employees, Jeremy just sat there silently watching everything, taking it all in, in his quiet manner.


We stayed a long time and I began to get restless and suggested we leave.  


But Jeremy wasn't ready.  Not saying a word, he got up from where we had been sitting and walked over to be near his manager.  


I was a bit puzzled and was trying to figure out what he was doing.  Did he want to talk to her?  Was he waiting for the gifts she was giving out? 


He just sat there silently, watching everything, not missing a detail.


Finally after gifts were exchanged, among hugs and tears with a whole lot of people, all of them seeming not to notice Jeremy in the corner, his boss turned to him and talked to him.


He waited a bit longer and then walked over and put on his coat.  His manager gave him a hug on his way out. 


When we got to the car, Jeremy looked straight ahead and said,


"That was extremely important to me and I didn't want to miss anything!"


That struck deep inside of me and I finally realized, Jeremy wasn't there to get noticed, or be talked to, or be given a prize, or to be fed.  He just wasn't there to get anything.  This woman had made an impact in his life and was important to him.  


What mattered was that he was there, in the moment, basking in her moment of glory, not missing anything.  


Jeremy taught me a lesson about love that day. 
The Bible states that,


"Love cares more for others than for self."


That's what Jeremy modeled for me in his simple, quiet manner.

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