So...my son graduated high school this evening. It may sound strange, but I have been dreading it all week. I tend to get really emotional at any type of "ceremony" involving my kids, nieces, nephews...hell, I even cried at my sister in law's wedding and my niece's First Communion. Years ago I cried at my same son's 8th grade "graduation" and he has never let me forget it. He had been telling me all week, "Yo punk ass betta not cry, Pop!" I didnt let him know that I was dreading it but as I said, I've been dreading it all week. And I wasnt dreading it out of fear that I would cry...I dont know why (maybe I'm pissed that I am officially "old"?) but I was not looking forward to it at all. I woke up this morning and was in a horrible mood from jump street. I was instantly depressed and almost called in sick for work, but I went ahead to the office. I stopped at McDonalds to get my iced coffee and bought cookies for a meeting we were having today. I was doing what I always do when I get in a depressed funk and dont see how I'm going to get thru the day...I prayed. I prayed while I was in the shower, I prayed in the car driving to McDonalds...but I couldnt concentrate. My mind kept wandering and I was apologizing to God for being so distracted with my own personal hangups (yes, I know I have "issues"). I'm sitting in the drive thru, waiting to pay, trying to concentrate and pray...but the car behind me was blaring his music. Strange thing was that this cat wasnt blaring hip hop or whatever, it was some old time music from the 40s; acapella white boys singing. I kind of looked over my shoulder to see "What the hell is this guy bumpin'?" As I went to turn around, I saw him in my rear view mirror and we made eye contact. He took his glasses off, smiled and waved. I gave him a half assed wave and looked away...the guy was old as shit and seemed like he may have been handicapped or something, but he was driving a very nice Mercedes with both windows down, blaring his 40s music. Everytime I looked in the rear view, he was smiling and waving. So...I get to the window and pay...they asked me to pull to the side and wait for the cookies. I'm sitting there waiting, still trying to pray. The gentleman behind me got his food and as he drove by my car, he slowed down and lowered the music, looked me dead in the eye and said, "In the cathedral of my heart there will always be a candle burning for you." He waved and drove off. I damn near shit myself. When I was a youngster, that is exactly what my grandmother used to say to me whenever I spent the night at her house. She would tuck me in and say that exact line. I have never heard anyone else say it and didnt know where she got it from, but I googled it today and it's from a Danny Kaye movie from the 50s. Apparently it was used as a joke, but my grandmother always said it like it was a heartfelt expression. I was close to my grandmother in my young years, but she and my mother never got along and as a teen, I finally got up the courage to ask my mom what was the issue between her and her mother. My mom filled me in and I completely turned on my grandmother, wanted nothing to do with her (just like my mom). That was probably 1987/88 and my grandmother passed away in Jan 1997. In those ten years after my mother filled me in, I spoke to and saw my grandmother maybe twice. As I said, I wanted nothing to do with her. When that old man said that line to me today...I cried the entire ride to work, then cried at my desk. But I wasnt sad...just crying. Every memory I ever had of my grandmother came rushing back and I ended up losing my funk in minutes. I had the greatest day at work, went to the graduation with a huge smile. I made it thru the entire ceremony without crying...but I lost it afterwards when my son and his friends (who have been with him since preschool) found me in the crowd outside of the auditorium. My son yelled, "Pop!!" I turned around and he had a huge smile. He and his boys all gave me hugs...and thats when I lost it. My son's friend Alex said, "Ahh...we love you too, Mr. S". Anyway...it's very easy to look at what happened to me today as a coincidence...the old guy was just grooving to his 40s acapella and decided to throw me a funny line. I prefer to look at it as my grandmother came and said hi to me today. She saw I was in a bad place and let me know that she's still watching me, and that candle is still burning. Again, just thought I'd share...

Man, you've got ME tearing up! God is AWESOME!

This was beautiful. Thank you for sharing it.

Thank you for sharing!! I really enjoyed your story!

I'm so glad you shared this and my heart is smiling for you. It is these precious little moments that make life worth living.