act of love?

There was a “little” man who lived not far from here.

His beard was gray almost to white, as was his hair. Back when people actually went to the mall, he would be hired each christmas to be the Santa Claus.

He was a wonderful sad eyed Santa.

I think he was from Holland, and he was not that small, when I think about it.

In time his wife died. He cared for her, went to the country cemetery, got permission and dug her grave and buried her. It seems he did the whole thing pretty well by himself. Apparently they did not have family

Some one was sure that was against the law, but it wasn’t. Some one else was sure there was some foul play, but there was not a hint of that. In fact, it seems to me that he did the most loving thing he could do for the woman he loved.

I have never dug a grave but I have dug some pretty good size holes. He was a hunk older than I am, but digging a hole that size would be a challenge for a younger man, but he did it.

Later he died.

For some reason this old man and his act of love came to my memory. It is worth retelling, I think.