Wanting to feel a mild coolness of winter on my face and breathe in as much fresh air as possible through my face mask, I took a walk and, later, found myself sitting on a public bench.
Not long after sitting, I happened to look over and saw a couple traversing a salted, icy, stretch of ground a ways from me. Both were dressed for the weather in black winter coats, and the lady was carrying a handbag in addition to a large, rectangular shaped, shopping bag.
At the moment I looked over at them, the woman, who appeared older and made me think of my mother, had her right arm threaded under and over the left elbow of her male companion, as she took slow, deliberate, steps. When they reached a smoother section of ground, she let go, but, seconds later, once again threaded her arm with his elbow.
Her companion’s focus was also on the salted, icy segments of ground. But something about his stride and presence felt, steady. And the relaxed confidence with which he stepped, had me entertaining the thought that he, possibly, held back in order to match her pace.
There was something lovely about watching them as they made the journey together, connected at the elbows. Then there was something lovely in the brief moment when they weren’t physically connected, but walked side by side. But even more lovely, perhaps because I’d been observing them for some time, was bearing witness to her reaching out, and without either of them looking at the other, and without him needing to stretch or proffer his elbow, he was right there, in the right place, naturally providing strength and contributing to balance.