A week ago Sunday, Pastor White told about an outing to Corregidor Island that he took during a recent visit to the Philippines. He mentioned General Douglas MacArthur and that reminded me of a story Elder Morton told me that took place during World War II:
After the Japanese invaded the Philippines, it was decided to abandon Manila in 1942 and move the government to the island of Corregidor. Mrs. MacArthur packed a few necessities and, as she was leaving the apartment, she passed a cabinet containing the decorations awarded to her husband. She removed the medals from their cases, wrapped them in a towel and made room for them in her suitcase by discarding some of her own clothes.
Later, when the military situation on Corregidor rapidly deteriorated, the general informed her that President Manuel Quezon of the Philippines had offered her and their young son, Arthur, passage to Australia. ''We have drunk from the same cup; we three shall stay together,'' she replied. The MacArthurs and their 4-year-old son lived in an underground bunker during months of bombardment before agreeing to evacuation on President Franklin D. Roosevelt's orders. (From her obituary in the New York Times.)
"We have drunk from the same cup." As a single girl, I thought this was sweet and romantic. As a married woman this touches me even more. The cup Les and I share has been filled with many things. Joy, sorrow, peace, trouble, laughter, tears, adventure, and so much more. But it's the sharing it that makes it so special.
Since Les started working for Decision Research in Honolulu in 2013, we have traveled and traveled and traveled. But as often as possible that travel is together. It's more than just being together, it's experiencing life together, drinking from the same cup.
We've all heard the phrase, "You just had to be there." Some things can't be explained, they have to be experienced. I'm glad we have drunk from the same cup for almost 25 years. Especially when that cup has shave ice in it!
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