My favorite movie about love is Fargo. That’s the one where Steve Buscemi gets stuffed into a wood chipper. But it’s really about Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), a pregnant sheriff, and her husband, Norm (John Carroll Lynch), who gets out of bed to make her a hot breakfast when she’s called to a crime scene at 3 a.m. He goes out and warms up her car because it’s below zero and snowing. The best scene comes at the end when Marge and Norm are lying in bed and he confesses that his painting of a mallard for a new stamp came in second place.
“Oh, that’s terrific,” Marge says.
“It’s just a 3-cent stamp.”
“It’s terrific.”
“Haupman’s blue-winged teal got the 29-cent. People don’t much use the 3-cent.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake, of course they do! Whenever they raise the postage, people need the little stamps.”
“Yah?”
“When they’re stuck with a bunch of the old ones.”
“Yah, I guess.”
“It’s terrific. I’m so proud of you, Norm…. Heck, Norm, you know we’re doing pretty good.”
Norm caresses Marge’s pregnant belly. “I love you, Margie.”
“I love you, Norm.”
“Two more months,” he says.
“Two more months.”
That’s all there is. That’s all there needs to be…. Marge and Norm know that love is not excitement but the steadfast love of being loving.
To Practice: Be on the lookout today for an opportunity to support someone you love by paying close attention to the little things that matter to them.
— Michael Leach in The Way of Love by Michael Leach, Doris Goodenough, Maria Angelini