The story describes the loving relationship between the author's grandparents, Oma and Opa, over their many decades of marriage. They played a game where they would hide a small Valentine's heart around their home for the other to find, keeping their love and affection playful over the years. As Opa's health declined from cancer, Oma cared for him devotedly until his passing. At his funeral, Oma recited their wedding vows through her grief, demonstrating the deep love they shared throughout their long life together. The author was deeply moved by the purity and enduring nature of Oma and Opa's love.

1. Oma and Opa
My Oma and Opa had been married for more than forty years and have played a special game with each
other since the day they first met.
The game was Oma would hide a little Valentine’s heart in a random place for Opa to find. As soon as
Opa found it, it would be his turn to hide it for Oma to find.
They would hide it in sugar jars or in instant coffee cans waiting for the other to fix a cup of coffee.
They would leave it on the bathroom counter after a shower and even in coat pockets or the glove box
of the car.
There was no end to the places where this little heart would turn up.
I never doubted my grandparents' relationship, but I became skeptical and wondered if their game could
survive,as their marriage has, the test of time.How could a flirtatious little game requiringlittle effort to
play find its way into the everyday life of their marriage? Isn’t it similar to saying “I love you” every day?
Don’t the words lose their effect over time?
That’s when Oma and Opa taught me that even the simplest of gestures requiring the most miniscule of
efforts is all it takes to let each other know they are loved.
They would hold hands constantly.
They would sneak in a kiss when passing each other in their small apartment.
They shared the daily crossword puzzle after breakfast and never stopped until they finished.
One time, Oma asked me "Hasn't your Opa gotten more handsome in his old age?"and then bragged
about her ability to pick ‘em.
Before every meal they would share a prayer that they would take turns saying ‐ a German prayer that
they recited as teenagers back in Germany.
Time passes.
We would soon learn that Opa had prostate cancer.
Of course, Oma was with him every step of the way.She would take pictures of birds and flowers, and
she would even recordthe Sunday sermon when he was too sick to leave the house.
Then one day, Opa passed on.
After the service, when we were all at the cemetery, we watched Oma place the Valentine’s heart on his
casket.
She began to recite the vows they took at their wedding in a shaky voice filled with pain and loss.

2. Then, she blew a final kiss.
I will never forget that moment when Oma gathered the strength to find her voice and recite those
vows.She was fighting back the pain whileexpressingthose loving words they shared almost fifty years
ago.
Through my own grief and sorrow, I realized just how deep their love for one another was.
From that day forward, I decided I would accept nothing less in my own life than the kind of true, pure,
and undying love Oma and Opa showed me – a love story so special.
Author: Cassandra D. Brown
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