Eric Ludy - When Dreams Come True: A Love Story Only God Could Write

NEXT TIME YOU witness the triumph of love, do me a favor and think of Mr. Val. Five years ago old Val hobbled off into the sunset, cane in one hand, suitcase full of memories in the other. He didn't stay longonly long enough to never be forgotten. I still don't know what it was, but old Val had a way about him.

Most of them speak with a British accent and smell of pipe tobacco. But Val didn't just speak; he sang every word, sounding a bit like Julio Iglesias would after dressing in angel's wings. Most of them arrive with an air of pomp and a nose lifted high. They are typically grumpy without even the decency to smile and shake your hand. But Mr. Val was different. He stepped into my life with all the passion of a blindfolded schoolboy swinging at his first pinata. He slipped into my room and woke me with a belly laugh, grabbed his little Spanish guitar, and serenaded me with the loudest and most sincere rendition of Vamos a Celebrar (Let's Celebrate) I've ever heard.

Most of them come and go, clock in and clock out, never to be remembered except for the mess they make and conveniently leave for their replacement to clean up. Val came, not just to hang a token reminder of his existence on the coat hanger of time, but to change historyto make a dent so big that he could never be forgotten.

Val loved life. He knew it was but a breath. So he came to spread glitter, slip extra cilantro into every chimichanga, blow kazoos, and make every kiss a little longer.

I knew the moment I first saw him that his time was short. He was aging quickly. But he wasn't going to let the fact that he was in his final hours deter him from squeezing life of all its zest. He had a job to do, and nothing would stop him. His big blue eyes were full of radiant sunshine and seemed to say, It's time, Eric!

Val had me laughing from the start. He also had me crying. I didn't do a lot of crying, but something about his tender love and inexpressible joy stirred me deeper than I had ever been stirred.

Eric, you prayed for me to come, and I'm finally here! His Spanish accent was full of gentleness and emotion. He kindly touched my chin and excitedly said, In all your wildest dreams, did you ever think I would look like this?

After twenty-three years of dreaming and imagining what it must be likewatching it in movies, reading about it nearly every time I picked up a newspaper, magazine, or bookmy Day arrived, sombrero and all.

God created Mr. Val for one purpose: It was his life's work to decorate the stage for the most tender and precious of romances. He didn't just do his job well; he was the best I've ever seen. He was a better archer than Cupid and a better set director than anyone in the history of Hollywood. I only spent a day with him, though he had been waiting since before I was born to throw me this great fiesta.

It was later that night, just before he passed away, that I saw him last. The guests had gone, and I was carefully removing countless grains of rice from my curly brown hair when he looked at me with reminiscing eyes and whispered in my ear.

Amigo, he said softly, God has given you something today that all the money in the world couldn't buy. With tears streaming down his aged cheeks, he leaned down and kissed my forehead. Never forget what God has done for you. And take good care of your princess. With that he turned to leave. Uh, wait, I said. I don't even know your name! He paused and answered, Oh, I'm sorry, didn't you know? I'm the Day a Dream Came True. With that he carefully placed his sombrero on his white head, picked up his cane and suitcase full of memories, and headed for the door. But then before he strode off into the crimson night sky, he turned and with that twinkle in his eye yelled back, But amigo, you can call me Val la Pena.

I'm sorry sir, but I I don't speak Spanish. He let out one final laugh and said with all the sweetness of a honey-drenched sopapilla, My dear friend, it simply means It's worth all the pain.

What a perfect name. For years I had waited for this Day. My Day of love. My Day of triumph. My Day of wedded bliss. There were countless times I thought I would never make it, but here I was watching my once-in-a-lifetime Day fade into the night. A tear dripped from my eye and ventured down my cheek. What a Day it was!

Thank you, God! I whispered with a smile forming on my moistened face. I'll never forget never!