Masters of Deceit

His senses felt extremely acute as he watched Lisa fully take in the moment. Their surroundings caused them to experience a sense of purity and lack of time that seemed to last forever. Shaune placed his hand on his wife’s check. When she looked at him, he said I love you with his lips. Lisa smiled and said I love you through the same manner. “Shaune,” said Lisa, “look at the stars up there, aren’t they beautiful?” Shaune looked at the stars again. They were indeed beautiful but that wasn’t all. They radiated such a beautiful light that it seemed to warm him inside. It was as though if he could just reach out and . . . Shaune’s mouth dropped as his hand actually reached out and touched the star. He drew it close to him and held it tight on his chest. He felt warmth spread from where the star touched him. It moved in every direction until his whole body felt light. Shaune looked at the star. It was gone - he must have absorbed it. He took several breaths as the lightness he felt made him tingle all over. He wasn’t afraid. It was as though he was experiencing something he couldn’t explain. He looked at Lisa. She smiled and nodded, understanding how he felt. “Close your eyes dear,” she said. Shaune closed his eyes and immediately saw a vast array of stars, planets, asteroids, moons, comets, solar systems, galaxies, and an unlimited array of heavenly bodies passing before him at an impossible rate. All were unique, none were the same, and all were stunning. There also was no sound, as if it was not needed. What he saw expressed itself in such unrequited beauty that nothing else mattered. Shaune opened his eyes, allowing the tears to flow down his cheeks. The star he touched slowly emerged from his chest and took it place again among its brethren. Trying to catch his breath and the feeling he no longer felt, he looked at Lisa. “What happened?” he asked. Lisa smiled and held her husband’s hand. “That was but a small taste of what’s always around us, dear. All creation is full of His glory, sometimes we just have to be still and silent.” Shaune looked up at the night sky again. How many times had he looked there and never seen or felt what he just felt a minute ago? How many sunsets and sunrises had he seen in his lifetime and never stood still to be awed by the majestic beauty, peace, and glory of God’s creation? How many times had he stared down and straight ahead but never up? How many? How many times? “Why?” he asked Lisa. “Why did God create all this?” “Dear Shaune,” she smiled again. Oh that smile, how it always warmed him. “Shaune, what is love if it’s never shown? The creation of something beautiful is the manifestation of a deep fount of love that needs to be expressed. Look at me, Shaune.” “I am.” “No, dear. Look deeper than what you can see on the outside. Look within me.” Shaune squinted hard but only saw Lisa’s beautiful eyes staring lovingly at him. He tried hard to do what she asked but couldn’t. “I can’t,” he said, shaking his head. “What I see before me is a beautiful person who changed my life forever, a woman meaning the world to me.” Lisa smiled. “And I feel the same way about you, my love, but don’t forget the star.” “Yes, the star was . . . awesome.” Lisa nodded. “You’ll never look at another star quite the same way again, right?” “Yeah.” Lisa cupped Shaune’s face with her hands. “I have the same within me, why couldn’t you see it?” “What?” Now he was really confused. “Shaune, listen. You base too much on what you see with your eyes. Sometimes you have to close your eyes, be still and quiet, and then see what is really there. Then and only then will you really see and understand.” Shaune stared back at his wife. “I don’t under—” “Shhh.” She held a finger to his lips. “I will always love you throughout all eternity, my love.” Lisa kissed Shaune on his lips. “Don’t forget this night. Don’t forget everything that has happened, for the answer is right here and will always be here. You just have to close your eyes to see it.”